Pain is an effective teacher

I just finished reading the popular book Atomic Habits by James Clear, and it is the fastest book I have ever read. I am usually a slow reader, taking around a month to finish one book. Surprisingly, I completed this one in just 13 days.

I read this book out of necessity. Unlike other books I read for leisure, Atomic Habits became my lifeline when I felt like I was drowning last September. Witnessing colleagues and mentors leave the company, I was gradually losing hope, and my mind ceased to function for almost a week. Desperate for guidance, I scoured the internet for motivational videos and readings to help me gather the courage to regain my stride. That's when I stumbled upon affordable paperback books on Shopee.

I purchased Atomic Habits alongside two other books, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fck* by Mark Manson and The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey, all in paperback, for a mere Php252. The actual cost of these books is Php350, but with the help of my Shopee coins and free shipping, I managed to secure a discount of around Php100.

I must confess, I initially avoided buying these books, considering them too mainstream. My stubborn self relished the non-conformity. However, my usual indulgence in philosophical books had to take a backseat in the face of life's chaos. It became clear that I needed these self-help books to navigate this turbulent world more effectively. And I must admit, kudos to those who purchased and read these books - they are truly worth the investment! 

So, let me share with you my favorite quotes from Atomic Habits. 

1. Good habits make time your ally. Bad habits make time your enemy.

2. The most perfect outcomes are delayed. 

3. You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems. 

4. Meaningful change does not require radical change. 

5. Decide the type of person you want to be. Then, prove it to yourself with small wins. 

6. Many people think they lack motivation when what they really lack is clarity. It is not always obvious when and where to take action. Some people spend their lives waiting for the time to be right to make an improvement. 

7. It is the anticipation of the reward - not the fulfillment of it - that gets us to take action. 

8. Saving money is often associated with sacrifice. However, you can associate it with freedom rather than limitation if you realize one simple truth: living below your current means increases your future means. The money you save this month increases your purchasing power next month.

9. If you want to master a habit, they key is to start with repetition, not perfection. 

10. We rarely think about change because everyone is consumed by the end goal. But one push up is better than not exercising. One minute of guitar practice is better than none at all. One minute of reading is better than never picking up a book. It's better to do less than you hoped than to do nothing at all. 

11. Just because you can measure something doesn't mean it's the most important thing. 

12. When you can't win by being better, you can win by being different. 

13. Play a game that favors your strengths. If you can't find a game that favors you, create one. 

14. The greatest threat to success is not failure but boredom. 

15. The hard and stiff will be broke. The soft and supple will prevail. - Lao Tzu

16. Success is not a goal to reach or a finish line to cross. It is a system to improve, an endless process to refine. 

17. Being curious is better than being smart. Being motivated and curious counts for more than being smart because it leads to action. Being smart will never deliver results on its own because it doesn't get you to act. 

18. Cancer spends 80% of its life undetectable. 

19. The first mistake is never the one that ruins you. 

20. Pain is an effective teacher. If a failure is painful, it gets fixed. If a failure is relatively painless, it gets ignored. The more immediate and more costly a mistake is, the faster you will learn from it... When the consequences are severe, people learn quickly. 

Atomic Habits serves as the ultimate prescription for procrastinators - and I happen to be one of them. I'm currently on a journey of self-improvement, recognizing that it's a gradual process. Nonetheless, I firmly believe in the presence of light at the end of the tunnel. We simply need to take small steps, even if it's just for two minutes. Rest, then continue walking.