Many years ago, I had the pleasure of reading "Atomic Habits" by James Clear, and it made a significant impact on me. Recently, I came across a blog post 'Embracing Atomic Habits for Career Growth in the Tech Industry' by Arnold Gamboa that summarizes the book's four core principles. I have applied these principles in my life for years, and recently, I used the book's teachings as the foundation for a presentation. I'm sharing this below in the hope of inspiring you as well.

What is a habit? We all have them—some are good, some are bad. Some habits we strive to acquire, while others we desperately want to shed. A habit is essentially a routine or behavior that we perform regularly, often without conscious thought.

Have you ever noticed how easy it is to fall back into bad habits while forming good ones feels like climbing a mountain? Why does going to the gym seem so much harder while eating unhealthy food is so effortless? Today, let’s explore the process of building and maintaining habits to uncover the secrets to success.

We often believe that achieving massive success requires massive action. Whether it's losing weight, learning a instrument, or accomplishing any goal, we tend to put a lot of pressure on ourselves to make big, noticeable improvements. While it's good to have big goals, when we dream big, excitement can take over, and we end up trying to do too much too soon.

This brings us to a key principle in building good habits: starting small. The most effective way to do this is by using the two-minute rule, a concept described by James Clear in his book "Atomic Habits." According to this rule, when you begin a new habit, it should take no more than two minutes to complete. The idea is to make your habits as easy as possible to start. Nearly everything we want to achieve can be scaled down into a two-minute version.

For example, I’ve always struggled with picking up a book and finishing it, but I wanted to read more. I started by reading just one page before bed each night. By committing to just one page, I mastered the art of showing up. When forming a habit, some days you’ll feel motivated, and other days you won’t. After a long day at work, going to the gym might not seem appealing. These are the days that matter most. Anyone can go to the gym when they're excited or well-rested, but the days that count are the ones when you show up despite lacking motivation. These are the days that help solidify your habit. So remember, the two-minute rule helps you to just show up.

Of course, no one wants to read just one page for the rest of their life. You start with one page to develop the habit of reading and then gradually increase the amount to reach your desired result. This principle can be applied to almost any activity. For instance, if you want to become vegan, start by incorporating vegetables into every meal. Once that becomes second nature, eliminate four-legged animals like cows and lambs from your diet. Next, cut out two-legged animals like chickens, and then move on to no-legged animals such as fish and clams. Finally, eliminate all animal products, and you will have successfully become vegan.

Remember, by starting small and gradually building up, you can create sustainable habits that align with your goals. But what's even harder than building good habits is keeping them.

Maintaining good habits can be challenging. Often, despite our sincere efforts, the changes we try to implement don’t last. Activities like exercise, meditation, and cooking seem manageable for a day or two but quickly start to feel like a hassle.

First of all, it’s important to understand the difference between outcome-based habits and identity-based habits. Many of us focus on what we want to achieve, creating outcome-based habits. While this might work temporarily, it often fails in the long term. You might force yourself to go to the gym for a week or two, but by the third or fourth week, you've likely stopped altogether. Achieving lasting change through sheer willpower alone is nearly impossible, so don’t blame yourself—it’s not your fault; you were just trying to change the wrong thing.

The most effective way to create a lasting habit or change is by focusing on the deepest layer of transformation: your identity. Your identity is your belief system—it defines who you are. While motivation might help you start a habit, you'll only stick with it if it becomes an integral part of your identity.

Changing you identity involves two-step process. First, you decide the type of person you want to be. Second you prove it to yourself with small wins. Deciding who you want to become can be a difficult question for many people, and it’s hard to know where to begin. However, most people do know what kind of results they want. Start there and work backward from the results you want to the type of person who could achieve those results. Ask yourself, “Who is the type of person that could get the outcome I want?”

For example, “Who is the type of person who could play a instrument?” It’s probably someone who is creative and consistent. Now your focus shifts from playing a instrument, which is outcome-based, to being the type of person who is creative and consistent, which is identity-based.

Once you have a handle on the type of person you want to be, you can begin taking small steps to reinforce your desired identity. If you want to lost 10 kilos you could ask yourself all day along, “What would a healthy person do?” and use this question as a guide.. Would a healthy person walk or take a cab? Would a healthy person order a burger or a salad?

In closing, my message to you, based on personal experience, is this: when building a new habit, start small and gradually build up to the outcome you desire. And most importantly, we must remind ourselves that habits aren't just about flossing one tooth each night, taking a cold shower each morning, or wearing the same outfit each day. They aren't about having something; they are about becoming someone. Thank you.