James Clear Quotes Page 4

“The climb to the top is better than the view from the peak. It’s progress, not perfection, that we really crave.”

“The common narrative is that kids learn faster than adults, but I’m not sure the difference is meaningful.

Watch any toddler. They spend nearly every waking minute on the edge of their ability and then sleep 12 hours.

If adults acted similarly they would be learning machines.”

“The fact that you go to the gym even though you don’t “need” to... is why you don’t need to.

The fact that you save when you could spend... is why you have money to spend.

Your habits create your strength.”

“The idea that "change is hard" is one of the biggest myths about human behavior.

The truth is, you change effortlessly and all the time. The primary job of the brain is to adjust your behavior based on the environment.

Design a better environment. Change will happen naturally.”

“The more comfortable I am with myself, the less I feel a need to win arguments with other people.”

“The more control you have over your attention, the more control you have over your future.”

“The myth is that there isn't enough time.

There is plenty of time. There isn't enough focus with the time you have.

You win by directing your attention toward better things.”

“The odds of success increase if:

- you get more shots on goal
- there is more than one way success can occur
- there is a long time frame in which things can go right
- you pursue a subset of strategies where the typical performance is better than the overall average”

“The past is a poor guide to the future of technology, but a good guide to the future of human behavior.”

“The person who asks questions is more helpful than the person who offers advice.”

“The person who experiences the consequences should make the decisions.”

“The person who learns the most in any classroom is the teacher.

Lesson:

If you really want to learn a topic, then “teach” it.

Write a book.
Teach a class.
Build a product.
Start a company.

The act of making something will force you to learn more deeply than reading ever will.”

“The quality of your life is a product of the habits you build and the choices you make, plus or minus the luck you encounter along the way.

You can't control luck, but you can control your habits and your choices. Direct your focus there.”

“The secret to being productive is to work on the right thing — even if it's at a slow pace.”

“The stronger your current beliefs, the weaker your future insights.
The hand that clings to an old friend cannot embrace a new one.”

“The tension of life:

Thinking only of today degrades the experience of tomorrow. Delay gratification.

Thinking only of tomorrow degrades the experience of today. Don’t wait to begin living.

Invest in your tomorrows and savor your todays. A delicate balance.”

“The tighter you cling to your current identity, the harder it becomes to grow beyond it.”

“The two-sentence guide to wealth and weight loss:

Spend less than you earn. Eat less than you burn.”

“The ultimate list of biohacks and smart drugs:

- Drink more water
- Get 8 hours of sleep
- Walk outside in the sun
- Leave your phone on silent
- Read a few pages each day
- Eat more vegetables and greens
- Don’t hang out with toxic people
- Work on projects you care about”

“The ultimate productivity hack is saying no.”

“The way you think is the way you act. The way you act is the way you are.”

“The willingness to do the unsexy work is a competitive advantage.”

“The world contains far more information than any single person can learn in their lifetime. The question is not whether you are ignorant, but what you choose to be ignorant about. Few topics are worth your precious time. Choose what you pay attention to with great care.”

“There is a difference between moving fast and rushing.

You can move fast and be thoughtful. When you rush, you sacrifice thoughtfulness.

Conversely, when you are thoughtful but not moving fast, you are overthinking it. Procrastination in disguise.

Don’t rush, but don’t wait.”

“Think about what you want today and you'll spend your time.
Think about what you want in 5 years and you'll invest your time.”

“Think of yourself as a collection of parts. Some parts seek status. Some seek meaning. Some parts are selfish. Some are generous. Feed the good parts. Starve the bad parts.”

“Time multiplies whatever you feed it.
Good habits make time your ally.
Bad habits make time your enemy.”

“Time spent working hard is often better spent identifying where the bottleneck is located. Working hard on the wrong thing leads to frustration, not progress.”

“Type I thoughts = ideas you have.
Type II thoughts = ideas you act upon.
Type I thoughts have never changed the world.”

“Unfinished projects can’t compound.”