‘Look’ who’s back? The last four months were packed with a ton of things, from my mock exams to a very hectic India trip. But, I feel I did not give Four Eyes the time and energy that I promised to contribute. It has been a year since I started this blog (woohoo!) and what better way to look back on (and forward to) the last year of Four Eyes than to review an acclaimed book — Atomic Habits by James Clear.
The writing is so comprehensible despite every point addressed being backed by myriad scientific research and evidence.
Okay, let me get this out of the way: it’s a fantastic book that I wish I had read earlier. The writing is so comprehensible despite every point addressed being backed by myriad scientific research and evidence. James makes habit-building (and breaking) so simple because, well, it actually is! When he breaks good and bad habits down, you realise how mind-blowing even the most mundane and automatic habits are!
Let me put myself under scrutiny; Four Eyes was started to hone my writing skills and soothe the itch for analysing the world around me. I am proud of the work I produced last year, especially the articles on bridging the privilege gap and how language is binding humanity together. Those put my real-time writing to the test but as the months progressed, I shifted to mostly book reviews. While I am happy that I put a conscious effort to read consistently every day and finish as many books as I could, I think I lost sight of analysing the world as much as I wanted to. Still, I blogged even if it was just a book review, you know?
Because that is what this brilliant book taught me. My primary goal was to blog. What I blog about is secondary, in hindsight. I took the effort to read different genres and that itself is a noteworthy atomic habit. Only when I changed my ear-end review lens was I able to see that I had gone a long way despite the visible results making me think otherwise.
My primary goal was to blog. What I blog about is secondary, in hindsight.
James Clear is crystal clear on the art of building habits. He knows what he’s talking about and the evidence is in the massive popularity the book has attained. At no point was he preachy or sounding all-knowing. Everything was a matter of fact but at the heart of it, they always took into account the very thing that drives humanity: emotions. That is what makes this gem of a read stand out from the other self-righteous and monotonous books in the lifestyle genre.
In order to become a more committed blogger, I have started to consciously adopt atomic habits into my lifestyle that follow the 4 laws of habit-building: making it obvious, attractive, easy and satisfying. Allow me to explain:
Making it obvious: I should be more receptive to the cues that help me get into ‘the zone’ of writing. Perhaps whenever my mind drifts off in some analysis mode or if I am cooking up some storyline, I should consciously write it down — even if it is absolute nonsense, I think a physical reminder/note would certainly motivate me to not leave these ideas half-baked.
Making it attractive: It is no secret that I love writing, so any method I incorporate must directly link to my passion for writing. In simpler words, I need to amplify the known benefits of publishing a blog post every week.
Making it easy: Why should habits be difficult to create? Designing the right kind of environment should make blogging as convenient as possible. I think a long-term goal would be to make the habit of sitting at my desk and beginning to blog as automatically as possible. This makes sense too because I would (naturally) want to reduce as much friction as possible to achieve my passion, wouldn’t I?
Making it satisfying: I would love to see more immediate rewards for publishing a blog post. Of course, it is satisfying my urge to write that is the main focus here, but it is human nature to care for validation to some extent. It also puts your vision into a more humble and sensible position, in my opinion. (If this validation is sought in a positive manner.) Receiving likes, getting a high view count or even some positive feedback makes the whole process of writing and publishing blog posts enjoyable. That said, I must take a step back and also validate the long-term benefits of consistent blogging, such as becoming a more proficient writer which I cannot achieve so quickly.
Mind you, these are some reflections (another useful technique in reviewing habit building and breaking) of one habit: blogging. I can be much more conscious about my other current habits, be it working out at the gym, doing revision for my upcoming IGCSE exams, or spending more quality time with Leo, my dog. And the beauty of it? These 4 laws are the fundamentals of all habits.
I have many exciting plans for Four Eyes and I realise that not all might become a practical reality. Yet, I will try and I know that my atomic habits will compound to produce a fantastic year for Four Eyes! Oh and I almost forgot: Happy Chinese New Year, my dear Four Eyes community! Wishing you all a prosperous and joyous year ahead. You might want to make a resolution to start building some atomic habits, haha. Give it a shot ;)
Rating: ★★★★★
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