“The most wisdom per word of any
newsletter on the web.”

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3-2-1: How to make changes that last, the key to productivity, and a simple way to find your true self

Happy 3-2-1 Thursday and Happy New Year!

If you are serious about building better habits this year, here are two simple ways to get started:

1. Read (or reread) Atomic Habits. Click here to get a copy.
2. Try a few exercises from The Atomic Habits Workbook.

And now, let's kick this year off the right way with 3 ideas, 2 quotes, and 1 question...

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3 Ideas From Me

Let's start with three little reminders from ​Atomic Habits​...

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I.

"New goals don't deliver new results. New lifestyles do. And a lifestyle is a process, not an outcome. For this reason, all of your energy should go into building better habits, not chasing better results."

​II.

"Improvements are only temporary until they become part of who you are.

• 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.

Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become. No single instance will transform your beliefs, but as the votes build up, so does the evidence of your new identity.

This year, focus on the identity you want to build."

III.

"Decide the type of person you want to be.

Prove it to yourself with small wins."

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2 Quotes From Others

I.

Comic artist and graphic designer Mirko Ilić reminds us that nothing beats working on the right thing:

INTERVIEWER: "What is your best tip for saving time?"

ILIC: "Think 8 hours, work 2 hours."

Source: Office Tales of Mirko Ilić (2016)

​II.

Poet, playwright, and librettist Hugo von Hofmannsthal shares the secret of how to find your true self:

"Where is your Self to be found? Always in the deepest enchantment that you have experienced."

Source: Buch der Freunde (1922)

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1 Question For You

If you met your 80‑year‑old self today, what would they beg you to stop postponing?

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Want to share this issue of 3-2-1? Just copy and paste this link: https://jamesclear.com/3-2-1/january-1-2026

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Until next week,

James Clear ​​
​Author of Atomic Habits​
Cofounder of Authors Equity​

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p.s. My New Year's resolution. ​​

What else am I working on?