Finally read James Clear's Atomic Habits.

Submitted by Grande_till_I_die t3_ygtkf8 in books

I recently read and re-read atomic habits this month and finally learned how to edit videos by using the principles I learned. I've always wanted to create documentary style videos but i've been a serial procrastinator and never got anything done. But through the principles learned in Atomic habits I made tiny changes and started creating a system for editing and being productive. Essentially I try to follow a system where I do the following:

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  • Master my mornings : Wake up early, no phones before 8, read first thing, edit after reading.
  • Master my evenings: No phone or devices 2 hours before bed, Journal right before bed, plan what I want to edit or add in the video the next day, sleep earlier.
  • Strive for consistency not perfection: Whether a big or small edit I just did something everyday for atleast 30 mins.

Through doing this for about three weeks I finally beat procrastination and finished editing my first Youtube video. Guys use systems to master your mornings and evenings and take small steps toward your goals. Trust me it's gonna make a big difference.

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Comments

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GrowingPriority t1_iuap1za wrote

Did you add several things at once or start with one and add gradually?

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Grande_till_I_die OP t1_iuapyt6 wrote

Replying to GrowingPriority (#324,887)

It's usually better to start small and then build overtime. But if you have a deadline or you're in a dark place and want to change quickly sometimes you have no choice but to rapidly transform your life and go full blitzkrieg. I did it gradually. But it depends on where you're at and what you want to do. But in the end as long as each day is a net positive and you're moving in the right direction you'll get to where you want. The journey is the reward. Safe travels my friend.

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Emtrail t1_iub2gxi wrote

The way I immediately glazed over this post. God DAMN it. šŸ˜…

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fakiresky t1_iub2k9x wrote

I have not read the book, but it looks a lot like what I started doing to kickstart my PhD dissertation.

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m_ttl_ng t1_iubcv9t wrote

The book was decent and itā€™s cool to see people benefitting from it.

But it also is just a ā€œsimplifiedā€ version of The Power Of Habit which I thought was a much more interesting book overall.

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Dawens t1_iubf215 wrote

Favorite quote from this book is "Habits are the compound interest of self-improvement."

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thatphantomnerd t1_iuc7gzm wrote

Oooh I've been meaning to read this for the longest time. Finally bought it on Kindle a few hours ago but haven't started it. Hopefully it helps my adhd brain lol :)

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Eastern_Amphibian385 t1_iucivaw wrote

Replying to m_ttl_ng (#329,319)

Totally agree. I started The Power of Habit while on a wait list for Atomic Habits. The Power of Habit is so entertaining to read - I adored the way the stories wove into the point of the book. I started reading Atomic Habits shortly after and it was rough. It had no entertainment factor and I hated the layout, which seemed painfully aimless in comparison.

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kelly224 t1_iucmaes wrote

Many people ( I bet) discourage self help books. But I tell you I didnā€™t regret reading this one!

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Djoer t1_iucmyes wrote

I have bought this book a couple of days ago in my native language

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prettyeyesintheEST t1_iucxhbo wrote

I listened to this book last week and itā€™s fantastic! Itā€™s one I will highly recommend to people.

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mombodjourney t1_iudir1g wrote

This book has been important on my weight loss journey!

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Jackbenny270 t1_iudrjsp wrote

I might need to check this out.

Iā€™m writing a large non-fiction book for a publisher, and I have a manuscript delivery deadline, and while I have a legitimate excuse because I suffer from severe chronic pain many days and Iā€™m a stay at home dad, I also am self-defeating because I tend to procrastinate, do other less important things in the morning (checking my phone, etc) when I need to just get the damn book DONE already.

I tend to be allergic to ā€œself helpā€ books, but I also realize some things obviously need to change.

This book has really helped people, and with long-term help?

(If anyone is curious about the bookā€™s subject at all, a clue is in my Reddit name, lol)

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Afraid_Economy5060 t1_iuedbr6 wrote

I followed this book during my final year med school exams. I framed rules for myself and made it easy for me to follow them by modifying my environment. I went from partying every weekend, bunking classes and cramming just before exams to studying consistently everyday. I ended up finishing that year with the highest score in my college and a gold medal. I owe a lot to this book and I canā€™t recommend it enough, idc if it makes me corny to like a self help book. Iā€™m currently prepping for another exam and working on my weight loss. Iā€™m re reading this book to build a new system of habits for the same.

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anonymousLitMajor t1_iuemm1u wrote

This sounds like a strong routine!

I listened to the Atomic Habits audiobook several years ago, but it wasnā€™t very focused listening, Iā€™ll think. Probably worth getting a physical copy and reading through again, as I am also a bit of a procrastinator and need to work on mastering my habits.

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