Atomic Identities

We become not a melting pot but a beautiful mosaic. Different people, different beliefs, different yearnings, different hopes, different dreams

- Jimmy Carter

I wanted to again share some profound insights from the book '#Atomic Habits' that I believe are crucial for bringing about real, lasting change in both our personal and professional lives.

One of the key takeaways from the book is the power of small habits. It's fascinating how making tiny adjustments in our daily routines can lead to significant improvements over time.

The author, James Clear, emphasizes that it's not about making massive changes overnight but rather focusing on 1% improvements each day. These small changes compound, leading to remarkable transformations.

But how do you make these changes? How one can start?

We all know which habits are beneficial for us, but how do we build the right ones and ensure they become deeply ingrained in our behavior?

Here's how to bring about a change in habits and, in turn, behavior:

• The key is to focus on a micro level and change one’s perception and self-identity. Building a habit involves touching upon the deepest layer, which is one’s identity.
• This involves changing our beliefs, worldview, self-image, judgments about others, and judgments about ourselves. For example, imagine two people resisting a cigarette. When offered a smoke, the first person says, “No thanks, I am trying to quit,” while the second person says, “I am not a smoker.” This small difference reflects a deeper belief and identity.
• It's challenging to change your habits if you never change the underlying belief that led to the past behavior. Research shows that once a person believes in a particular aspect of their identity, they are more likely to act in alignment with that belief.
• More precisely, your habits are how you embody your identity. Making your bed each day embodies the identity of an organized person. Writing each day embodies the identity of a creative person, and training each day embodies the identity of an athletic person.
• The word identity comes from "essentitas," meaning being, and "identidem," meaning repeatedly. Your identity is literally your “repeated beingness,” and the more evidence you have for a belief, the more strongly you will believe in it.
• For instance, if you go to a Hanuman temple every Tuesday for twenty years, you will have evidence that you are a devotee of Lord Hanuman. The most practical way to change who you are is to change what you do and do it repeatedly. New identities require new evidence, which means you will have to increase the repetition of the new behavior you have assumed as a new identity.

You have the power to change your beliefs about yourself. Your identity is not set in stone. You have a choice every moment. You can reinforce the identity you want to reinforce today with the habits you choose today, and that, in turn, solidifies your habits. Quite literally, you develop habits based on your identity, and your habits further strengthen your newfound identity, making it a solid belief.

I highly recommend reading '#Atomic Habits' if you haven't already. It's packed with practical advice and strategies that can help us all achieve our goals and improve our lives.

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