Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results

Jul 21 (edited) in Self Improvement & Motivation

Have you ever heard the saying we only use 10% of our brains? Well maybe that’s because the other 90% is on autopilot – our subconscious, programmed by habits! Those habits control our entire lives, from how we study to what we eat to even how we think. In this post we’re gonna break down this whole habit thing: how they form, how they secretly rule our lives and how we can hack our brains to create the habits we actually want.

And don’t just skim this and go back to scrolling, okay? Seriously, read this post! Some of the ideas here might actually change your life.

Atomic Habits by James Clear, the most popular book out there. It’s all about how those tiny, everyday habits we barely think about can either make or break us and how we can break bad habits and create good ones.

So there was this guy, Edward Thorndike (a psychology person), who did this experiment back in the day where he put cats in a dark box. Obviously they freaked out, running around, scratching at the walls, totally panicking!

What they didn’t know was there was a lever inside. Hit the lever, the door opens, freedom! At first it took them forever to find it. But as Thorndike put them in the box again and again, their escape time got shorter and shorter. After 20-30 tries they could escape in 6 seconds instead of 90 minutes!

They basically developed an atomic habit (or some might call it the tomcat habit)! They learned that if they just stopped freaking out and looked for the lever they’d escape faster.

This is an atomic habit in action: small changes that seem insignificant at first but become automatic and powerful over time. We do this all the time, whether it’s finding the best route to school or mastering a tricky equation in calculus. It’s like our brains learn to escape those mental “boxes” faster!

## Discipline = Freedom

You’re thinking. “Habits? That sounds so boring! I want freedom and spontaneity!” Trust me, but after reading Atomic Habits I realized there’s freedom in discipline.

Think about it: when we don’t have good habits we’re constantly overthinking everything. When to study, what to eat, even when to answer that text from our crush(if you have one...)! That’s exhausting! It’s like those cats scratching at the walls all day.

But when we have good habits our brains can relax and focus on the important stuff, the stuff that really matters to us. It’s like knowing exactly where that escape lever is, no panic, just freedom!

Think about how much mental energy we waste every day just deciding what to do. Imagine if you could automate those small decisions and free up your minds for creative thinking, strategic planning, and having fun with your friends!

Here’s a challenge for you. Grab your phone or a notebook and answer these two questions. It will make a HUGE difference as we go deeper into this (please do it; don’t be lazy):

What is ONE good habit you could start doing today that will level up your life?

Maybe it’s studying for 30 minutes every day after school, waking up 30 minutes earlier to have a more relaxed morning, or putting your phone away for an hour before bed. Be specific!

What is ONE bad habit you could stop doing today that's holding you back?

Maybe it’s staying up late scrolling through TikTok, procrastinating on those big assignments or constantly checking your phone while you’re supposed to be studying. Again, be honest and specific!

Remember these. They’ll come in handy for what we’re going to talk about next.

## Why Systems Beat Goals Every Time

This is where Atomic Habits gets really interesting. James says," we need to forget about setting goals and focus on systems instead."

Here’s the thing, winners and losers have the same goals. We all want to ace those exams, make the varsity team or get into our dream college. But it’s not the goal itself that separates those who succeed from those who don’t. It’s their systems - the tiny, daily habits that decide how they spend their time and energy.

Think of it like this, a coach wants to win a championship. Their system is how they recruit players, run practices and make strategic decisions during games. If they focus ONLY on winning and not on building a solid system, they probably won’t even get to the championships, let alone win it.

This applies to every area of our lives. It’s like that cat escape study; it’s not about magically wishing you could escape, it’s about creating a system (look for the lever!) that makes escape inevitable.

Here’s why goals actually suck (and how systems save the day!):

Achieving a goal is only a momentary change. I might clean my room, but if my habits stay messy, it will be a disaster again in a week. To create lasting change we need to fix the systems that cause those outcomes.

2. Goals restrict our happiness. We think “Once I get straight A’s I’ll be happy” or “Once I lose 10 pounds I’ll be confident”. But then we’re constantly delaying happiness, waiting for that next achievement.

3. Goals are at odds with long-term progress. What happens when you finally hit that goal? Do you just stop? That’s why so many people fall off their New Year’s Resolutions after a few weeks. Systems are about continuous improvement.

The real takeaway: "You don't rise to the level of your goals, you fall to the level of your systems."

## It's About WHO We Are, Not What We Do

Real change isn’t about achieving external outcomes; it’s about changing who we are at our core – our identity.

Think about this: you don’t want just to read a book; you want to become a reader. You don’t want to just get a perfect score; you want to become a high achiever. You don’t want to just lose a few pounds; you want to become a healthy person.

Our habits are how we embody our identity. Every time you hit the books you’re reinforcing the identity of a studious person. Every time you make healthy food choices you’re reinforcing the identity of someone who cares about their health. It’s not about the one time action; it’s about who we become through our consistent choices.

This also works the other way around. Those negative habits we identified earlier? They’re also voting for a certain identity, an identity that might not align with our true aspirations.

To create lasting change, James Clear suggests a two-step process:

Decide the type of person you want to be. What kind of student, friend, athlete, artist, or entrepreneur do you want to be? What are your values and principles?
Prove it to yourself with small wins. Start small. Read one page every day. Do five push-ups every morning. Meditate for two minutes before bed. Each small win casts a vote for your desired identity, and eventually, those votes add up.

## Why We Get Addicted

There was an experiment where rats died of thirst in the lab even when they had sugary water right before them. That’s because they had electrodes implanted in their brains blocking dopamine, the “pleasure chemical”. Without dopamine, they had no desire, no motivation. Scary, right?

It turns out, our bad habits are like dopamine hijackers! They’ve learned to trigger those pleasure centers in our brains even though they don’t actually benefit us in the long run. Junk food? Dopamine rush. Social media notifications? Dopamine rush. Binge-watching Netflix? Dopamine rush.

They exploit our desire for immediate rewards. They offer a quick fix, a temporary escape even when we know they’re not good for us.

But here’s the cool part: we can hack this system and make our good habits more attractive by associating them with positive feelings!

## Hacking the Habit Loop

James Clear explains the 4 step habit loop that’s happening in our brains all the time:

Cue: Something triggers your brain to do something. (Phone buzzes)
Craving: You want the reward and feel the urge to change your state. (Who texted?)
Response: You take action (check the text)
Reward: You get the craving (Dopamine rush from seeing it’s your crush!; if you have one… if not, you’re welcome to join us 🙂)

So how do we use this to create good habits and break bad ones? That’s where The Four Laws of Behaviour Change come in:

## Making Good Habits Obvious, Attractive, Easy, and Satisfying:

Make it Obvious: Design your environment to trigger good habits. Keep those healthy snacks front and centre in the fridge. Put your textbooks on your desk so you see them when you walk in the room. If you want to work out after school, put your gym clothes out the night before!

2. Make It Attractive: Link good habits to things you enjoy! Study with a friend at your favorite coffee shop. Only listen to your favorite music when you’re working out. Imagine yourself achieving those awesome goals – that future self is pretty motivating!

3. Make It Easy: Reduce friction. If you want to eat healthy breakfasts, prepare everything the night before. Set tiny goals - read one page instead of a whole chapter. Choose a gym that’s on your way home from school. The easier it is to start, the more likely you are to follow through.

4. Make It Immediately Satisfying: Reward yourself (but make it healthy!). Use a habit tracker and check off each successful day. Imagine how good you’ll feel when you finish that project or ace that exam.

## The Two-Minute Rule

Even when we try to start small, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. The Two-Minute Rule is a lifesaver! It simply states: “When you start a new habit, it should take less than two minutes to do.”

“Read more” becomes “read one page”
“Practice piano for an hour” becomes “open my music book”
“Write an essay” becomes “write one sentence”

Anyone can do something for two minutes. It’s a “gateway habit” that makes it easier to continue.

## Accountability Partner!

Want to really level up your habit game? Get an accountability partner! We care about what other people think, right? So, knowing someone is watching our progress (or lack thereof) can be a powerful motivator.

Bryan Harris, this super successful entrepreneur, created a “habit contract” with his wife and his personal trainer. He laid out his goals, his daily habits, and even the punishments he’d face if he didn’t follow through (like having to dress up for work every day). Guess what? It worked!

Having someone hold you accountable can be a big deal, especially on those days when you’re feeling meh. Plus, it's a great way to support each other and reach your goals together.

## It’s About Mastering Your Craft

Building good habits isn’t just about hacks and tricks, it’s about mastering your craft. Whether it’s being a better student, athlete, musician, artist, entrepreneur, whatever you’re passionate about; habits are the foundation for excellence.

Embrace the boredom! No, really! Successful people aren’t always super motivated. They just show up consistently, even when it’s boring or hard, because they know the journey is as important as the destination.

Find a game where the odds are in your favor. This is another mind-blowing idea from Atomic Habits. We all have different talents and personalities. Work hard on the things that come naturally to you, the things you lose track of time doing.

Reflect and adjust. Nobody’s perfect, right? We’re all going to slip up sometimes. But what matters is how quickly we get back on track. Don’t let one bad day turn into a week of bad habits.

The most satisfying feeling in life is the feeling of making progress. It doesn’t matter how small the progress is, as long as we’re moving in the right direction. And guess what? Tracking those tiny wins can be ridiculously motivating! So, grab a habit tracker and get started.

Remember, true change comes from the compound effect of tiny improvements, repeated consistently over time. It’s not magic, it’s science, and we all have the power to use it!

Now, let’s get back to those two questions you wrote down earlier (Or at least I hope you did):

What good habit are you going to start working on today?
What bad habit are you going to cut off at the source?

Comment below!

Sorry for not posting for the past 2-3 days. I have been meeting some new people, and you know how it is – getting to know them and they getting to know you. It’s been quite an experience and has delayed this post. One thing I've learned is that people are often different from what you might initially think; they can surprise you in many ways. Normally, I don't text or chat much, but when I do, just remember that I can get you to chat with me without you even realizing it. This isn't just about me; it's about everyone. We comment or text because we want to connect, not just because we have to. Meeting and talking to new people is an indescribable experience, really. It's a big time sink, but it's fun and rewarding.

We often hesitate to text someone, thinking we might be bothering them, but they could be just as eager to hear from us as we are to text them. I recently found out that my friends don't text me because they worry about disturbing me or seem too eager. Meanwhile, I spend hours scrolling through old conversations wondering if I should text them. If you want to text someone, just do it. They might be waiting for you just as much as you’re waiting for them. Someone has to start the conversation and they could be waiting for you to make the first move.

But yeah, hopefully from now on, I’ll try to post every day. 🤞

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