We're no longer trying to change behaviours we're acting like the type of person we already believe ourselves to be. If we're proud to be a reader, we'll read. Then intrinsic motivation and a sense of personal pride fuel us: if we're proud to be a runner, we'll run. Instead, let's focus on our identity: who we are and who we wish to be. And put us at risk of being on a never-ending, hedonic treadmill. We often target outcomes, but this can put off happiness to an end-date. Focus on identity, then move to systems, then finally outcomes. The book has self-help elements, of course, including specific habit-building tips, but I enjoyed it more through the wider lens of life philosophy and longer-term path to mastery. And to not be put off if your instinct is that the book title + cover art + cover copy ('Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results' ) feel gimmicky. I was lucky to have lower expectations - always a good life lesson - where I read it because I'm the kind of person with a habit of reading books about habits ) I read it in January 2019, a couple months post-launch, early in its ascent to become a phenomenon: it's still #3 on Amazon's 'Most Read Nonfiction books', 121 weeks after launching. And if we track 'em and stack 'em, we're more likely to keep 'em! Why and when did I read this? Finally, to keep up new habits, we want to make them 1) obvious, 2) attractive, 3) easy, and 4) satisfying. Because now our identity is shared with a broader tribe. Even more so if we join a culture where our desired behaviour is the norm. Once we're a runner, pride and intrinsic motivation will fuel us to train. Therefore, instead, we should start with our identity. And our training habits depend most of all on our underlying identity. Our marathon times are a lagging measure of our training habits. But, actually, outcomes are the result of our habits and systems. Perhaps to run a marathon in under X hours. We tend to start by setting goal outcomes. Atomic Habits: An Easy and Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear What's the So What in 100 words

Atomic habits target