Understanding Atomic Habits Part One

We all go through times when we feel stuck. When I unpacked my summer clothes, I was greeted by what should have been cleared out and replaced a long time ago. Knowing that I would be having another summer of not feeling at my best was not the vibe I was hoping to get from my wardrobe. I love summer, and it would be so nice not to have my outfits as a damper on that.

It's become pretty clear that one of the reasons I'm stuck is that I don't have a system for what it takes to have a wardrobe I would love. I have been unable, maybe even a little unwilling, to develop a sustainable practice for all things that comprise (dare I say) making sense out of style. Letting this fall by the wayside has caught up with me once more .

It would be all too easy to jump in and do what comes naturally since I don't have any other plan: buy a few things, purge others, and hope for the best. What's that definition of insanity we joke about? Doing the same thing and expecting a different result. Continuing in my current ways will bring me right back here in the not too distant future. Yes indeed, in order to get a different result, one must do differently. The question is, how do you do differently?

To help answer that, we're going to turn to James Clear's book, Atomic Habits. Although it doesn't offer any style advice, Atomic Habits does offer a path toward what you want to achieve, whether it's style or otherwise. So, if you are as ready as I am to get some momentum going, then Clear's book is worth checking out. We're going to look at only two ideas today, and then we'll wade deeper in posts to come.

Small changes that bring big results over the long haul

Hold onto your hats friends, it's possible that your thinking is going to be turned upside down when it comes to how to achieve lasting, significant change. Let go of the idea that you have to do an immediate, major overhaul. According to Clear, the power for major changes lies in small incremental improvements. Aiming for 1% daily improvements will deliver explosive results in the long term.

It may not look like much of an improvement from day to day, but being consistent long term is key. In theory, making those 1% improvements over a period of a year will put you at a place that is 37 times farther/better than where you started. Just for kicks, you can check out the math here on Clear's website.

The thinking behind this is known as the compound effect. Compound interest uses the same principle. Let's look at a picture of this: a 1 cent investment that will double everyday. So, on day 2 it becomes 2 cents, and on day 3 it becomes 4 cents. How much will your investment of 1 penny be after 31 days? How does 10 million dollars sound? Could you hang in there for a month to receive your return? The magic happens because each day's return builds on all the days that came before.

I don't want to get lost in the weeds since we are talking habits and not pennies. Yet, this is the idea behind Atomic Habits. The habits you develop build on one another. All the tiny habits, those 1% improvements matter. I love the examples above since they illustrate the concept so well, but I also understand that in real life, we can't plug our habits into a math equation. It would be almost impossible to measure what 37 times better actually looks like when it comes to style. However, seeing improvement and progress is what I'm after, so whether it's 2, 5, or 10 times better in the long run, I'll take it.

What's the appeal for someone who is interested in getting the most out of their wardrobes? For one, all of us are already in the long game. We've been getting dressed every day for as long as we've been alive, and it's always going to be a part of our lives. So, in the equation of time and improvement, we've already got the half of it.

I also love this because it's doable. It doesn't matter what your time, energy, or bandwidth looks like. A 1% improvement over yesterday isn't going to be a drain. The race is slow; Clear calls this "the slow pace of transformation". Again, we can't really measure that 1% increase precisely, but with a bit of intention you can keep it going. If you miss a day now and then, that's just real life. Just pick yourself up and stay in the game, because you are in the game.

Make your emphasis building systems rather than just achieving goals

Atomic Habits hones in on three layers of change that we need to be aware of:

• Outcomes or Goals - the results we want (for me it's a style I will enjoy)

• Process - the habits we do

• Identity - what we think and believe about ourselves (we'll save this for next time)

If we only focus on that first layer, what's going to stop us from going back to our old ways once the prize has been won? Without the process, we'd never achieve the outcome. The key is not to focus on just the outcome. Let's say I finally achieve my wardrobe goals. Then I go back to my old ways. Life keeps changing, and time goes by. My clothes don't feel as good. Some have worn out. Some don't fit like they used to. My days look different, and I no longer have what I need for what life has become. I'm back to where I was before.

"When you fall in love with the process rather than the product, you don't have to wait to give yourself permission to be happy. You can be satisfied any time your system is running. And a system can be successful in many different forms, not just the one you first envision" (Atomic Habits)

Clear points out that achieving a goal will only change your life for a moment. Building a system you love doing will last much longer, and will keep bringing the results you are looking for. As far as making sense out of style goes, it's not just about the outfit, but the process that gets you to that. "It's all about the journey" has become cliche, but after soaking in Atomic Habits, I'm seeing that it is indeed all about the journey.