The Genius Strategy To Become The Best Version Of Yourself

Do this to reach your goals.

Imagine the best version of yourself. The person you could be if you did everything you set out to do.

What does this person look like? Take a second and imagine it as accurately as possible.

For most of us, that person is in a little better shape, drinks less alcohol, eats healthier, sleeps better, and so on.

In this article, you will learn what I believe is the best method to get closer to the best version of yourself. It is from the book “Atomic Habits” by James Clear.

What would the person you want to be do?

Let’s say you want to lose weight. The best version of you that you just imagined is a little slimmer. What do you need to do to get there? Probably exercise more, eat healthier, and maybe drink less alcohol. So to change those things, you need to change your habits.

Outcome-based habits vs. identity-based habits

The necessary actions to lose weight are outcome-based habits for most. You focus on the goal: losing weight. However, this can be problematic if the underlying beliefs have not been changed. For example, two people are overweight and want to lose weight. One person holds the beliefs of an overweight person and only pursues the goal of losing weight (outcome-based habits). She still thinks of herself as an unathletic, rather undisciplined person when it comes to eating, but she is trying to lose weight. The second person has decided to be a healthy person. She has changed her identity. Exercise and a healthy diet are therefore part of her new identity (identity-based habits).

The person who has changed their identity is much more likely to be successful because healthy habits are part of their identity. The other person is probably held back by their old beliefs.

Research has shown that once a person believes in a particular aspect of their identity, they are more likely to act in alignment with that belief. — Atomic Habits, page 34.

James Clear provides the following examples of a useful identity change:

• The goal is not to read a book, the goal is to become a reader.
• The goal is not to run a marathon, the goal is to become a runner.
• The goal is not to learn an instrument, the goal is to become a musician.

He also writes that you have a choice every day. Choose wisely.

You have the power to change your beliefs about yourself. Your identity is not set in stone. You have a choice in every moment. You can choose the identity you want to reinforce today with the habits you choose today. — Atomic Habits, page 41.

The magic formula

The following two-step process has the power to change your life.

1. Decide the type of person you want to be.

2. Prove it to yourself with small wins.

— Atomic Habits, page 39.

The powerful thing about this process is the feedback loop it triggers: If you decide that living healthy is part of your identity, it will change your habits. The habits themselves reinforce your identity, which reinforces your habits. And so on…

Thanks for reading!

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