Alright, listen up.

Yeah, Atomic Habits in California. Here’s the Real Deal

Ever felt like you’re just chillin’ through life, maybe on the 101, but not actually getting closer to where you want to be? Like those New Year’s resolutions always hit a wall? You see yourself breaking free, starting good habits, swearing “this time it’ll be different!” And then, the next thing you know? You’re back at square one. Again!

If that hits home—and let’s be real, for many Angelenos, it hella does—then trying out the wisdom of Atomic Habits might just be the pivot you need. The big change.

This isn’t about some crazy, overnight makeover. No way. It’s about tiny, seriously almost invisible shifts that send your life’s whole path in a wildly different direction. Kinda like adjusting a plane by just three degrees on a flight from LAX to JFK. That super small change means the difference between landing in New York or, well, Tijuana. Your habits hold that same power. Big power.

Forget Goals, Build Systems Instead

Goals are flashy. They’re the marathon finish line, the successful startup. Everyone has dreams. But guess what? Both successful folks and those still struggling? They often share the same goals. So, what’s a big real difference often? It’s the system.

A goal is the result you want. A system? That’s the process that actually gets you there. Thinking you’ll get fit because you plan to run a marathon often falls flat once the race is done. The motivation fades. Fast! Instead, focus on building the system: the daily jog, prepping healthy food, sticking to a sleep schedule. That’s the real game-changer right there. Goals give you direction, but systems make the actual progress. Completely different vibe.

Just 1% Better. Every Day

We’re often chasing that “quantum leap.” That big, splashy improvement that grabs all the attention. But think about this for a second: getting just 1% better, literally every single day for a year? That compounds into nearly 38 times better. Conversely, being 1% worse brings you practically to zero. Poof!

These tiny shifts, almost invisible at first, are powerful. Seriously powerful. They don’t look like much, especially when you’re in what James Clear calls “the valley of disappointment,” putting in effort but seeing no immediate results. That’s where most folks throw in the towel. Don’t. Patience, my friend, is key. Because those small wins add up, silently working toward remarkable results.

Change Who You Are. Really

This is big. Super important. Most of us focus on what we want to get (lose some weight, write a book). Then, we might try to change what we do (new workout routine, daily writing time). But the deepest, most lasting change? No question, it comes when you focus on who you want to become.

The aim isn’t just to “run a marathon.” It’s to become a runner. Not “learn an instrument,” but “become a musician.” When you say, “I am a runner,” you start to embody that identity. Every time you lace up your shoes for a run? You reinforce that self-image. That’s how behavior truly shifts. When it truly aligns with who you believe yourself to be.

Hack the Habit Loop

Habits are these automatic behaviors we fall into. All the time, often without thinking. They’re a feedback loop: Cue, Craving, Response, Reward. Your phone buzzes (Cue), you wanna see who texted (Craving), you pick up your phone (Response), and that curiosity is satisfied (Reward). You repeat that enough times, and it’s cemented! Quick.

The trick is to tinker with this loop. Identify the cues for your good and bad habits. Your environment, a sound, a feeling—they all trigger something. Everything. Once you know how the loop works, you can start redesigning it.

James Clear’s Four Laws. Your Blueprint

James Clear boils down habit formation into four straightforward laws. Really simple stuff. Think of them as your blueprint for building better practices. And another thing: ditching the bad ones too.

Law 1: Make It Blatant

Most of your habits are so ingrained you don’t even notice them. First step? Awareness. Period. Try a “Habit Scorecard.” Write down everything you do from waking up to bedtime. Mark each as positive (+), negative (-), or neutral (=) based on whether it pulls you closer to your desired self. No judgment. Just watch.

Clarity is everything. Vague goals like “I’ll read more” are useless, honestly. Get specific: “I will read a book for 15 minutes daily at 6 AM in the spare bedroom.” Time and location are your absolute best friends here.

Habit stacking is a local fave. After a current, automatic habit (like brushing your teeth), immediately do your new desired habit (stretch for 5 minutes). String them together: after coffee, meditate, then plan your day. Choose reliable triggers.

Your environment? It’s sneaky, silent, but it runs the whole show. Design your space to make good habits seen. And bad habits invisible. Want to drink more water? Leave bottles everywhere, plain sight. Want to practice guitar? Don’t stash it in the closet. If your living room couch is for Netflix, don’t even try to work there. Dedicate zones: “One Space, One Use.” To kill a bad habit, remove its cues. Phone causing distractions? Put it in another room. Junk food becoming a problem? Get it outta there.

Law 2: Make It Look Good

We act when we anticipate a reward. Dopamine, that sneaky little hormone, isn’t just about pleasure, surprisingly. It’s about the anticipation of pleasure. That thrill. It’s why gambling addicts get a dopamine spike before the bet, not after a win. Wild, huh?

Temptation bundling uses this trick. Pair something you need to do with something you want to do. Workout while watching your favorite show. Clean the house while jamming to that killer podcast. You’ll condition yourself to enjoy the “need” because it’s bundled with the “want.”

Group influence is huge. Massive. We just mirror the people around us. Want to be fit? Hang out with fit people. Want to read more? Join a book club. Smart. Find a culture where your desired habit is just the norm. Easy.

Remember, your habits are modern solutions to ancient desires. Social media? It taps into our deep need for connection and social acceptance. Instagram? Status. Google? It reduces uncertainty. Because people hate not knowing stuff. Understand these primal motivators, and you can reframe your perspective. Frame fitness as “health and wellbeing,” not “fatigue.” Saving money as “future financial freedom,” not “sacrifice.” Ever.

Law 3: Make It a Breeze

Forget “how much time does it take?” Who cares? It’s about how many repetitions. Your brain literally reconfigures itself. Becoming more efficient with repeated actions.

Reduce friction. The less energy a habit requires? The more likely you are to do it. Gym too far? You probably won’t go. Gym on your commute? Much better odds. Guaranteed.

Prime your environment. Lay out your workout clothes the night before. Prep breakfast ingredients. This simple act reduces future friction. Removing excuses. Bam! Before they even pop up.

The Two-Minute Rule is a total life hack. Seriously. Scale down your big goal to a version that takes two minutes or less. Marathon training becomes “put on running shoes and stretch for two minutes.” Reading an hour becomes “read one page.” The goal here is just to show up. And anchor the habit. Once you’re actually there, motivation often follows right along.

And another thing: to break bad habits, increase friction. Unplug the TV after you use it, stash the remote. Leave credit cards in the car when shopping if you’re prone to impulse buys. Make it a pain. A real hassle to do the undesired thing.

Law 4: Make It Feel Good

This is the closer. The grand finale. Pleasure tells your brain: “Do that again!” Immediate rewards are powerful. Wildly powerful. The first three laws get you to do the habit this time. This last law? It makes you want to repeat it next time. Boom.

The problem? Good habits often have delayed rewards (that fitness payoff shows up weeks later, sigh). But bad habits have immediate gratification (that donut hits instantly. Always.) You gotta bridge that gap. Simple. Add immediate pleasure to good habits; add immediate pain to bad ones.

Track your progress. Big time. Visual measures like moving marbles from one jar to another, crossing off days on a calendar, or using a habit tracker create a satisfying feeling. Win! Each little checkmark is a “win,” reinforcing the habit. Keeping the momentum going.

And when life inevitably throws a wrench in your plans? Don’t sweat it too much. Just make sure you never miss twice. Missing one day is an accident; missing two is the start of a whole new bad habit. Even if you can only manage 10 sit-ups instead of your usual 50, do the 10. Keep that chain going.

To make bad habits unsatisfying, get an accountability partner. Tell a friend you owe them $10 every time you skip a workout. Use a “habit contract” with clear penalties. We’re wired to avoid immediate pain. And judgment from others. That peer pressure can be a great motivator. Trust me.

It all boils down to building a system. Not just chasing a finish line, you know? Those small, consistent actions, designed with these laws in mind, are the secret sauce vibes. You’ll find yourself not just doing habits. But becoming the person you always wanted to be. Sometimes, that’s the best local secret you’ll ever learn.

Quick Q&A for the Busy Folks

So, how long does it take to form a new habit?

Instead of a set time, think repetitions. A behavior becomes automatic through consistent practice. So, the more you repeat an action? The faster it gets stuck in your brain. Your brain actually changes to get more efficient at it too. Cool, right?

What’s that “Two-Minute Rule” thing again?

This rule suggests scaling down any new habit to a version that takes two minutes or less to complete. For instance, instead of “run a marathon,” your habit becomes “put on running shoes and stretch for two minutes.” Goal’s simple: just show up. Start there. Build momentum later.

Can these same ideas bust bad habits?

Absolutely! To break a bad habit, you basically use the reverse of the four laws: Make it Invisible, Make it Unattractive, Make it Difficult, and Make it Unsatisfying. For example, put your phone in another room to make mindless scrolling invisible and difficult. And get an accountability partner to make it super unsatisfying. It works.