Hey there,

This week, I re-read Atomic Habits by James Clear for the 3rd time.

That’s right, I’m on Round 3 with James.

There’s a reason this book sits on airport bookshelves across the country. It’s ****that**** good. I’ll save you the winded book summary, and give you the core idea in thirty seconds:

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Habits are automatic.

Before you sit down to write, you don’t consciously decide “which hand am I gonna write with?” It’s probably automatic for you to choose the right hand (or the left hand for the 13.1%)

Why? Because you’ve gone through this cycle a thousand times.

When you were learning to write back in grade school, you probably had to fidget around while you grasped the pencil. But now, as an adult, it’s become second nature. You don’t even think about it.

And while this example is simple to understand, this feature of being human spills into other parts of our life:

• Whether or not you pick to sit in the front of the classroom.
• Whether or not you reach your hand out for a handshake.
• Whether or not you smile when you meet someone for the first time.

Habits are a feature of being human.

During my transition from Student → Engineer, there were many habits I’d built up that I had to unlearn.

Habits I Had to Leave Behind in College:

Habit #1: Keeping my work secret and telling no one.

All in the name of “academic integrity.”

Now, I’m not advocating for cheating here. You should certainly do your own work. But in college, I got into the habit of keeping all my work private.

This prevented me from learning how to collaborate in a team.

Consequently, my growth suffered when I joined new teams. The truth is, getting a second look at your work helps you improve. And the faster you can close these feedback loops, the faster you can improve in any domain.

→ Habit to Adopt: Show Your Work.

Habit #2: Only Studying When I “Had to”

But back in university, all the learning you had to do was in the classroom or when an assignment was given for homework. Maybe once a week am I diving deep on. This isn’t enough.

Software is a fast-paced field.

You have to constantly be learning the newest technology, the latest trends, and where the industry is headed.

But step outside and get a feel for where the wind is blowing. And do it often.

When we label individuals as “smart” or “knowledgeable” it’s not due to some innate gift they have. Rather, it’s a result of cultivating a lifelong learning habit. And if you’re reading this, I’d like to think you’re someone who consistently learns.

My “hack” to continuously learn is a 2-for-1 deal. I combine mental training and physical training by listening to podcasts on my long runs instead of music.

→ Habit to Adopt: Become a Lifelong Learner

Habit #3: Burning the midnight oil.

You already know how crucial sleep is for your mood, energy, and performance.

However, consider this:

LeBron James credits his basketball success to sleeping 9 hours every day. He’s an athlete even off the court. And part of his training routine includes taking naps.

Andrew Huberman, a Stanford neuroscientist, consistently emphasizes on his podcast that even 10 minutes of deep rest can fully recharge your entire nervous system. He even offers a guided yoga nidra meditation (although he prefers its scientific term, Non-Sleep Deep Rest).

Sleep > All nighters.

→ Habit to Adopt: Take power naps.

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Keep getting 1% better each day,
Ricky

P.S. I’d like to know… what habit has helped you get 1% better each day?