Student Perspective

In his book Atomic Habits, James Clear emphasizes the power of habits by compounding small changes that lead to remarkable long-term outcomes. With years of research in habit formation and seminar leadership around the U.S., Clear explains the four Laws of Behavior Change and how to use them to the reader’s advantage. The four laws that he focuses on are (1) Make it obvious, (2) Make it attractive, (3) Make it easy, and (4) Make it satisfying. Clear employs numerous examples from across the world, in various disciplines, and his personal experience to explain the principles of habit formation.

The main premise of this book is that behavior change is driven by systems, rather than willpower. This is what makes this book so impactful. Rather than designating energy towards making changes that are unrealistic for a given person and their circumstances, Clear urges the reader to redirect the energy towards redesigning the environment and working with personality traits. He truly changes the perspective on habit formation and destruction by helping the reader become the person they want to be in a realistic fashion.

I see Atomic Habits to be a powerful tool for healthcare professionals in the treatment plan for many disease states in regards to lifestyle changes. As a future pharmacist, I hope to employ the concepts in this book to counsel my patients in smoking cessation, dietary recommendations, physical activity, medication adherence, and much more. I highly recommend this book for future healthcare professionals for not only for its impact on patients, but also for the benefit it can provide for students in school to manage a challenging curriculum while balancing personal life. Overall, it is entertaining and easy to read as the chapters build upon each other for sustainable habits