James Clear. Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones
Step 1: From why to how
Those who have a ‘why’ to live, can bear with almost any ‘how’
Book Note: Viktor E. Frankl. Man’s Search for Meaning.
A few months ago I wrote this review of an influential, important book by Viktor Frankl.
He had a life or death “why”. He wanted to survive in a Nazi concentration camp until the end of World War 2. Every day he had to prove to the Nazis that he was more valuable than the other Jews in the camp or he would be sent to the gas chambers. A horrible situation but that was his “why.”
Book Note: Gerda Weissmann Klein. All But My Life: A Memoir
I also wrote a review of Gerda Weissmann Klein’s book which covers her time in a concentration camp. There is a similar “why” and “how” in her story.
Why is your why? How hard are you willing to work to get there?
Do you need to change your diet to control your diabetes?
Do you want to lose weight to look better for a special event?
etc.
Step 2: Eventually, you form habits.
When you decide what you want and you act consistently over time, you form habits… good habits and bad habits.
You eat a certain way…. good or bad.
You exercise a certain way or not.
You begin to stack habits… you brush your teeth…that is a signal to put on sunscreen… then you go to the gym… you have to start the stack with an alarm at a certain time so you will be at work on time … etc.
After a while you become a certain type of person: lazy…punctual… fit… unhealthy… a good husband…a neglectful father… a good friend… lonely and isolated.
What do you want? This is the question that changes our lives.
James Clear. Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones
James Clear has written an important and highly respected book.
Today, January 20, 2026, it has 145,075 reviews on Amazon.com with a rating of 4.8 out of 5.0.
I have read his book three times and I also receive his free weekly newsletter which contains challenges to writers, teachers and other creative people.
From Clear’s website: “Every Thursday, the latest issue is sent to over 3,000,000 people. Each message includes 3 short ideas from me, 2 quotes from others, and 1 question for you to ponder.”
I have signed up for and read this post every week. It is always thought provoking.
I have changed the way I plan my life in response to his prompts.
What Clear does in his writings is to give us ways to form good habits and break bad one but he goes one step further. He brings closure to the character building process.
He asks, “What person do you want to be?”
He leads us to say:
I am a caring husband and father.
I am a faithful Christian.
Etc.
Then he leads us to build the process building the identity we want. Who do we want to be?
How is important.
Why is important.
Habits are important.
Habit stacks are important.
But, in the end, who do we want to be?
He shows us how to start there and then build the life that will take us to our goals and life purpose.
This book has been very helpful to me.
Enjoy this important read.
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