Lifechanging 1% for building an effective routine.
Throughout my life, like many of you self-improvement geeks, I’ve tried to find the ideal recipe for getting things done. Each time, my approaches failed, or I simply burnt out. I would try to harness all of my willpower, often triggered by a sudden rush of enthusiasm at 2 a.m., and channel it into a desired goal. But more often than not, I’d fail to achieve the “ideal” result — whether it was getting a six-pack for the summer or improving my exam grades. As it turned out, there were many reasons for this, but the most important one, which I’ll discuss in this article, is that I failed to develop an effective habit system.
We all have our goals: improve sales win rate, own a nice car, look amazing at work, or strengthen bonds with our partners. Sure, realizing these goals can be powerful motivation, but they’re neither long-term motivators nor constants. What truly matters is the progress accumulated through a methodical and automated habit system that eventually leads to something meaningful. That’s where the coveted 1% improvement plays its role.
If you get one percent better each day for one year, you’ll end up thirty-seven times better by the time you’re done. — James Clear
The question of “How do you build this routine of the habit system?” is still open. James Clear provides valuable insights on this subject in his book Atomic Habits, and I’ll share my approach to establishing these habits in this article.
1. Determine Your “Identity”
According to James Clear, the outcomes we achieve in life depend on the type of person we are — our identity — and this identity is formed by our habits. Some goals might conflict with the person we see ourselves as. For example, I struggle to maintain and repair my bike because I don’t view myself as someone who understands vehicles. To begin making improvements, I need to clarify my desired identity. My suggestion is to be clear about the areas that are most important to you.
For instance, who is Andrii (me)?
A confident, intelligent, physically fit young man who believes firmly in decency, culture, manners, and kindness. He works in the industry that he enjoys so much (product design), always stays current with the tech advancements, and happily faces all the challenges on the path. Andrii has a reliable group of friends with whom he cherishes relationships.
What are his beliefs?
For example,
“I am the type of athlete who prioritizes health and well-being over physical appearance.”
In my opinion, our identities are purely mental constructs, and our outward actions are simply our beliefs about who we are. So, it would be wise to exaggerate a little and describe yourself in a way that goes deeper than who you currently think you are. Asking yourself, “How would my ideal self act?” each time you face a choice between doing the right thing and something less than ideal will always lead you toward becoming a better version of yourself.
2. Establish a Habit
At first, driven by determination, it may even seem easy, and the notion of doing “the right thing” should inspire you to pursue additional endeavours, but it won’t last forever (we all know that). Analysing your choices is a critical component of truly adhering to your habits.
James Clear outlines the four steps in the creation of habits.
Cue > Craving > Response > Reward
This effectively illustrates the creation of both positive and negative habits. However, it lacks the step “analysis,” which comes before the response, in my opinion.
Think about an Uber driver who’s feeling worn out after a long day; he receives a pop-up order in the same direction as where he is currently headed, and the fare looks promising. The choice that arises for him is that taking the trip means being more productive and earning more.
On the other hand, he is afraid of making mistakes on the road by pushing his own limits. In this moment of hesitation, what’s happening is actually an assessment of the pros and cons; thus, I call it "analysis.”.
It’s important to detect these moments of uncertainty and responsibly follow either one of those techniques (inspired by Clear’s concepts but with my own twist):
1. Imitating: which links back to the understanding of our “Identity”.
2. Back up: when your energy is low, aim for just “showing up”, and never miss twice. For instance, the driver could decide to call it a day and then make sure to be productive the next day without overextending himself.
3. Speak It Out Loud: Verbalize or write down the realistic outcome of your actions. The driver might say to themselves, “If I take this ride, I could make a bit more money, but I might also risk my safety and the quality of my work tomorrow.”.
4. Hold yourself accountable: let your surrounding explicitly know what you’re striving for, and this will oftentimes prevent you from abandoning habits, as we all want to seem trustworthy and be respected for the hard work.
3. Be realistic
This might sound contradictory to what I’ve mentioned earlier and even to the book itself, but being honest with yourself about your true wants and capabilities will make your habit development journey meaningful and enjoyable.
Let’s say you have an idealized image of yourself, maybe influenced by social media. On the surface, the outcomes of such a lifestyle might seem desirable: if you become richer, you fulfil your esteem needs; if you learn patience, you improve your sense of belonging. However, the path to these needs can be distorted by various factors.
For example, many people in my generation, aged 18–25, intrinsically believe that becoming a social media influencer is the surest way to gain prestige and stay relevant. The flawed algorithm might look like this: Ideation > Wrong habit establishment > Motion > Disappointment.
To avoid this cycle of doom, it’s crucial to embrace what you currently have and work with it, being careful not to imitate success that doesn’t align with your core values.
As Cheryl Strayed points out:
“You can’t fake the core. The truth will always come out.”
So, a better approach would be: Analyze your values > Establish habits > Persist > Achieve fulfilment.
Final Notes
There are many more philosophical concepts that could be introduced, but I don’t want to bore you. The key takeaway for genuinely improving is to follow these habits consistently, even if it’s just by 1% daily. And when you feel like giving up, just show up and do the bare minimum — because in the grand scheme of things, what matters most is not breaking the habit.
I hope you found my thoughts interesting. If the feedback is positive, I’d love to delve deeper into the four laws of habit formation that James Clear describes in Atomic Habits.
