The Business Development Book Club discussion

Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones
To start off the year right, join me in reading a book to help us develop better habits. Whether you are just starting out, or a crusty veteran, habits are still what set the top performers apart from the pack.

Here is the summary from the publisher:
"Publisher's Summary
The number one New York Times best seller. Over one million copies sold!

Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results

No matter your goals, Atomic Habits offers a proven framework for improving - every day. James Clear, one of the world's leading experts on habit formation, reveals practical strategies that will teach you exactly how to form good habits, break bad ones, and master the tiny behaviors that lead to remarkable results.

If you're having trouble changing your habits, the problem isn't you. The problem is your system. Bad habits repeat themselves again and again not because you don't want to change, but because you have the wrong system for change. You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems. Here, you'll get a proven system that can take you to new heights.

Clear is known for his ability to distill complex topics into simple behaviors that can be easily applied to daily life and work. Here, he draws on the most proven ideas from biology, psychology, and neuroscience to create an easy-to-understand guide for making good habits inevitable and bad habits impossible. Along the way, listeners will be inspired and entertained with true stories from Olympic gold medalists, award-winning artists, business leaders, life-saving physicians, and star comedians who have used the science of small habits to master their craft and vault to the top of their field.

Learn how to:

Make time for new habits (even when life gets crazy)
Overcome a lack of motivation and willpower
Design your environment to make success easier
Get back on track when you fall off course
And much more
Atomic Habits will reshape the way you think about progress and success, and give you the tools and strategies you need to transform your habits - whether you are a team looking to win a championship, an organization hoping to redefine an industry, or simply an individual who wishes to quit smoking, lose weight, reduce stress, or achieve any other goal.

©2018 James Clear (P)2018 Penguin Audio"

I sincerely valued and enjoyed reading this book. Like many others (perhaps), I had a chance to reflect on my own daily habits, realizing they can work for or against me. This book offers an honest take on behaviors or 'atomic habits' being the building blocks of our results, compounding over time by the actions we take. The method for self-improvement is given is manageable terms by helping you identify where you want to improve and doing so by 1% each day. One of the most refreshing takes I got from the book was the idea of focusing on your systems instead of goals to get better results. I thought this to be honest and true, and it outlines the Four Laws of Behavior Change that you can use to build better habits. This framework actually takes the habit and puts it into terms that are tangible for you to see and act on. It all comes down to awareness for our actions with the bigger picture being improvement on who we want to become, not just the goals we have. Furthermore, it encourages and provides evidence to the benefits of our daily efforts to build new habits or break poor old ones. With this, we can look for ways to increase friction associated with bad behaviors, and reduce friction for good behaviors. I enjoyed the example from the book on how the author curbed his own urges to binge watch tv. While I may not go as far as unplugging my tv and hiding it, I have already made changes to shift my habit to reading more by placing my book in a location that is top of mind and attractive to use my time with instead. My first effort to prove this to myself was through reading this book on a daily basis (almost successful, but an improvement nonetheless!) One of the most satisfying feelings is the feeling of making progress. There are many tools and examples throughout Atomic Habits that can help you start with your journey. It's honest, easy to navigate, and provides ample references and examples to relate to anybody. One of the biggest surprises to me was the 'why' behind our habits, and how we can use that to fuel our own interest in personal growth. I can't think of a person who wouldn't get value out of this book as well. No secret formulas or quick fixes here. Rather, an honest take on reviewing our identity and taking the small, daily, 'atomic' behaviors that are our building blocks for our habits and making them work for you. 10/10 recommend this title for any person.