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AN IMPRINT OF PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE LLC
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Copyright © 2018 by James Clear
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Ebook ISBN 9780735211308
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Version_1

a·tom·ic
əˈtämik
1. an extremely small amount of a thing; the single irreducible unit of a
larger system.
2. the source of immense energy or power.
hab·it
ˈhabət
1. a routine or practice performed regularly; an automatic response to a
specific situation.

Contents
Title Page
Copyright
Epigraph
Introduction: My Story
The Fundamentals
Why Tiny Changes Make a Big Difference
1 The Surprising Power of Atomic Habits
2 How Your Habits Shape Your Identity (and Vice Versa)
3 How to Build Better Habits in 4 Simple Steps
The 1st Law
Make It Obvious
4 The Man Who Didn’t Look Right
5 The Best Way to Start a New Habit
6 Motivation Is Overrated; Environment Often Matters More
7 The Secret to Self-Control
The 2nd Law
Make It Attractive
8 How to Make a Habit Irresistible
9 The Role of Family and Friends in Shaping Your Habits
10 How to Find and Fix the Causes of Your Bad Habits

The 3rd Law
Make It Easy
11 Walk Slowly, but Never Backward
12 The Law of Least Effort
13 How to Stop Procrastinating by Using the Two-Minute Rule
14 How to Make Good Habits Inevitable and Bad Habits Impossible
The 4th Law
Make It Satisfying
15 The Cardinal Rule of Behavior Change
16 How to Stick with Good Habits Every Day
17 How an Accountability Partner Can Change Everything
Advanced Tactics
How to Go from Being Merely Good to Being Truly Great
18 The Truth About Talent (When Genes Matter and When They Don’t)
19 The Goldilocks Rule: How to Stay Motivated in Life and Work
20 The Downside of Creating Good Habits
Conclusion: The Secret to Results That Last
Appendix
What Should You Read Next?
Little Lessons from the Four Laws
How to Apply These Ideas to Business
How to Apply These Ideas to Parenting
Acknowledgments
Notes
Index
About the Author

O
Introduction
My Story
N THE FINAL day of my sophomore year of high school, I was hit in the
face with a baseball bat. As my classmate took a full swing, the bat
slipped out of his hands and came flying toward me before striking me
directly between the eyes. I have no memory of the moment of impact.
The bat smashed into my face with such force that it crushed my nose
into a distorted U-shape. The collision sent the soft tissue of my brain
slamming into the inside of my skull. Immediately, a wave of swelling
surged throughout my head. In a fraction of a second, I had a broken nose,
multiple skull fractures, and two shattered eye sockets.
When I opened my eyes, I saw people staring at me and running over to
help. I looked down and noticed spots of red on my clothes. One of my
classmates took the shirt off his back and handed it to me. I used it to plug
the stream of blood rushing from my broken nose. Shocked and confused, I
was unaware of how seriously I had been injured.
My teacher looped his arm around my shoulder and we began the long
walk to the nurse’s office: across the field, down the hill, and back into
school. Random hands touched my sides, holding me upright. We took our
time and walked slowly. Nobody realized that every minute mattered.
When we arrived at the nurse’s office, she asked me a series of
questions.
“What year is it?”
“1998,” I answered. It was actually 2002.
“Who is the president of the United States?”
“Bill Clinton,” I said. The correct answer was George W. Bush.
“What is your mom’s name?”