James Clear

We're like, oh, you know, why would I attempt this like super impossible thing? And it's like, well, the world hasn't even told you it's impossible yet. You have. I think work backwards from the magical outcome. But my key is I want to be very clear about where I'm going, but very flexible about how I get there. I don't need it to happen.

If I work backwards, I don't need it to happen only through that chain of that potential path. Because if you can only have one way to get there, you're actually kind of brittle. You become hostage to things working exactly in that way. But if I know where I want to get to with a very clear vision, I'm flexible on how I get there.

If I work backwards, I don't need it to happen only through that chain of that potential path. Because if you can only have one way to get there, you're actually kind of brittle. You become hostage to things working exactly in that way. But if I know where I want to get to with a very clear vision, I'm flexible on how I get there.

Well, now I can start to spring on opportunities as they arise and just take whatever the most fruitful path seems to be. But I do think that that whole process starts with working backwards. So it's, I think, a more fruitful way to think about where you want to go than just trying to predict.

Well, now I can start to spring on opportunities as they arise and just take whatever the most fruitful path seems to be. But I do think that that whole process starts with working backwards. So it's, I think, a more fruitful way to think about where you want to go than just trying to predict.

I think there are exercises or strategies you can use. So you sort of hinted at this a few minutes ago, and I meant to say it, but I forgot, which is the process of behavior change, strategically changing your behavior. We need to make a separation here, a distinction between the types of behavior change, because people change their behavior all the time.

I think there are exercises or strategies you can use. So you sort of hinted at this a few minutes ago, and I meant to say it, but I forgot, which is the process of behavior change, strategically changing your behavior. We need to make a separation here, a distinction between the types of behavior change, because people change their behavior all the time.

We're always responding to the situation we're in or the circumstance or the conversation we're having. This is like one of the great myths about behavior change, which is behavior change is hard. Actually, it's one of the easiest things that you do. Like your brain is designed to change your behavior to match the situation that you're in. So you're making adjustments all the time.

We're always responding to the situation we're in or the circumstance or the conversation we're having. This is like one of the great myths about behavior change, which is behavior change is hard. Actually, it's one of the easiest things that you do. Like your brain is designed to change your behavior to match the situation that you're in. So you're making adjustments all the time.

The question is, can you reliably change your behavior? Can you design your behavior in a fashion that you want? And if you want to design it, if you want to be in control of it more, I think it almost always starts with the process of self-awareness. And that's kind of what this question is getting at. I don't even know what the cues are. I don't even know what my habits are.

The question is, can you reliably change your behavior? Can you design your behavior in a fashion that you want? And if you want to design it, if you want to be in control of it more, I think it almost always starts with the process of self-awareness. And that's kind of what this question is getting at. I don't even know what the cues are. I don't even know what my habits are.

So the two exercises I recommend, the first one I call the habit scorecard. And you just go through your day and you list out every habit that you already do. Try to get as detailed as possible. So usually there's a big lump in the beginning. Like I wake up, I take a shower, I step on the scale, I brush my teeth, I go to the bathroom, I get dressed.

So the two exercises I recommend, the first one I call the habit scorecard. And you just go through your day and you list out every habit that you already do. Try to get as detailed as possible. So usually there's a big lump in the beginning. Like I wake up, I take a shower, I step on the scale, I brush my teeth, I go to the bathroom, I get dressed.

Like there's all this stuff that you do to start your day. And then there's things for breakfast and starting your workday and on and on and on. And the more that you have that list, again, the goal is not to judge yourself. It's almost like you're at the zoo looking at animals and you're one of the animals. It's like, oh, how interesting that they would do that.

Like there's all this stuff that you do to start your day. And then there's things for breakfast and starting your workday and on and on and on. And the more that you have that list, again, the goal is not to judge yourself. It's almost like you're at the zoo looking at animals and you're one of the animals. It's like, oh, how interesting that they would do that.

You're just trying to get a lay of the land and see how do I actually spend my time? What habits am I actually doing if I'm being honest about it? So that's just to understand what habits you have to figure out what the cue is. Basically, you're just asking like five questions, who, what, when, where, why you're essentially just trying to get a lay of what's going on.

You're just trying to get a lay of the land and see how do I actually spend my time? What habits am I actually doing if I'm being honest about it? So that's just to understand what habits you have to figure out what the cue is. Basically, you're just asking like five questions, who, what, when, where, why you're essentially just trying to get a lay of what's going on.

So let's say that you're like, man, I eat a lot of candy bars, but I don't know why I do it. I don't know what the cue is. Well, each time that you find yourself eating a candy bar, just pull up a note on your phone or have an index card or a notebook or whatever, somewhere to record it, write down what time is it? Where are you at right now? What's the context? What's the environment?

So let's say that you're like, man, I eat a lot of candy bars, but I don't know why I do it. I don't know what the cue is. Well, each time that you find yourself eating a candy bar, just pull up a note on your phone or have an index card or a notebook or whatever, somewhere to record it, write down what time is it? Where are you at right now? What's the context? What's the environment?

Who are you around? Are you near the do you eat these by the same kind of people? What were you doing just before this? Was it a break from writing emails or doing something else? And the more that you start to answer those questions about the context, the better you'll start to understand, hey, maybe that was the cue.