Via The Knowledge Project Podcast

“Your habits are how you embody a particular identity. So, when you make your bed, you embody the identity of someone who is clean and organized. If you study biology for 20 minutes on Tuesday night, you embody the identity of someone who is studious. The act of doing it is proof that you are that type of person. And eventually you start to build up this body of evidence for being that way. You have every reason in the world to believe it. So one of the core lessons of atomic habits is that every action you take is like a vote for the type of person you wish to become.

— James Clear Shares Secrets to Habits, at 0:61

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James Clear, best-selling author of Atomic Habits, emphasizes that “your habits are how you embody a particular identity” and that ultimately, identity may be the most important thing with habits.

Rather than focusing on outcomes like reading a book or running a marathon, the goal is to become a reader or become a runner. Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become.

The voting metaphor creates a powerful shift in perspective:

• When you show up at the gym, you’re casting a vote for being someone who doesn’t miss workouts
• When you write one sentence, you’re casting a vote for being a writer
• When you make one sales call, you’re casting a vote for being a salesperson
• No single action transforms you, but each provides evidence for being that type of person

Eventually, as you build up this body of evidence, you start to take pride in being that way. That’s when you reach a resilient place with your habits—when you start to take pride in being that type of person, you fight to maintain the habit.

The behavior and belief relationship becomes a two-way street: what you believe influences your actions, but your actions also influence what you believe about yourself. Let the behavior lead the way.