[This is the second of three blog posts on James Clear's, Atomic Habits[:] An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones (New York, NY:  Penguin Random House, 2018).]

 Here are the four laws of behaviour change.

 The First Law: Make It Obvious

 The starting point is to “make it obvious.” Clear talks about the process of “pointing and calling” which raises the level of awareness. [63] He explains that “Many of our failures in performance are largely attributable to a lack of self-awareness.” [64] He advises the value of talking to yourself. Yes, you read that right, talking to yourself! “Hearing your bad habits spoken aloud make the consequences seem more real.” [66]

 He states that habit change requires an implementation plan–seeing it on paper. Further, “the two most important cues are time and location.” [70] Being specific about what you want and how you will achieve it helps keep you on track [72] To build new habits, use the connectedness of behaviour to your advantage…called “habit stacking” [74]

 He notes that “…the secret to creating a successful habit stack is selecting the right cue to kick things off.” [77] There is a need to be specific and clear (i.e., not “read more” or “eat better”) [78] Further, the “Environment is the invisible hand that shapes human behaviour.” [62]

 Clear advises that “…a small change in what you see can lead to a big shift in what you do.” [84] “It is easier to associate a new habit with a new context than to build a new habit in the face of competing cues.” [88] “If you want behaviors that are stable and predictable, you need an environment that is stable and predictable.” [90]

 A great insight: “…’disciplined’ people are better at structuring their lives in a way that does not require heroic willpower and self-control. In other words, they spend less time in tempting situations.” [92-3]

“One of the most practical ways to eliminate a bad habit is to reduce exposure to the cue that causes it.” [94] “This is the secret to self-control. Make the cues of your good habits obvious and the cues of your bad habits invisible.” [95]

 The Second Law: Make It Attractive

 The second law is to “make it attractive. “When it comes to habits, the key takeaway is this: dopamine is released not only when you experience pleasure, but also when you anticipate it.” [106] “One of the most effective things you can do to build better habits is to join a culture where your desired behavior is the normal behavior.” [117]

 “Look at nearly any product that is habit-forming and you’ll see that it does not create a new motivation, but rather latches onto the underlying motives of human nature.” [127] “You can make hard habits more attractive if you can learn to associate them with a positive experience.” [130]

 The Third Law: Make It Easy

 The third law is to “make it easy.” “If you want to master a habit, the key is to start with repetition, not perfection.” [143] “Both common sense and scientific evidence agree: repetition is a form of change.” [144]

 “The problem is that some days you feel like doing the hard work and some days you feel like giving in. On the tough days, it’s crucial to have as many things working in your favor as possible so that you can overcome the challenges life naturally throws your way.” [152]

 Create an environment where doing the right thing is as easy as possible. Clear talks about “The Two-Minute Rule”…..that when you start a new habit, it should take less than two minutes to do [162]

The point is to master the habit of showing up [163]

 The Fourth Law: Make It Satisfying

 The fourth law is to make it satisfying. “We are more likely to repeat a behavior when the experience is satisfying.” [185] We always need to counteract the following. We are in a “delayed-return environment” because you can work for years before the intended pay-off [187]

 The key: “…but you need to work with the grain of human nature, not against it. The best way to do this is to add a little bit of immediate pleasure to the habits that pay off in the long-run and a little bit of immediate pain to the ones that don’t” [190]

 To keep habits on track, strive to “never break the chain” [196] Make habit tracking obvious….i.e., logging weight, tracking food, keeping score. Establish mode of progress….”Each small win feeds your desire.” [198] If you mess up or miss one, use the simple rule: never miss twice [201] “Missing once is an accident. Missing twice is the start of a new habit.” [201]

 “The problem is not slipping up; the problem is thinking that if you can’t do something perfectly, then you shouldn’t do it at all.” [201] To avoid bad habits, try to make the pain immediate. “In general, the more local, tangible, concrete, and immediate the consequence, the more likely it is to influence individual behavior.” [207]