Redesigning Habits: Identity, Environment, and Consistent Action

Huberman Lab · January 05, 2026 · Listen to Original Episode →

Original Title: Best Ways to Build Better Habits & Break Bad Ones | James Clear

TL;DR

Habits are solutions to recurring environmental problems, and inherited solutions may not be optimal, necessitating a conscious effort to identify and implement more beneficial alternatives.
Making desired habits obvious, attractive, easy, and satisfying, while inverting these principles for undesired habits (invisible, unattractive, difficult, unsatisfying), is key to behavioral change.
Consistency in habits, even on "bad days" with reduced effort, builds resilience and enlarges capacity, serving as the primary differentiator for long-term success over sporadic peak performance.
Identity-based habits, where actions reinforce a desired self-concept ("I am a runner"), are more sustainable than outcome-based habits, as they align behavior with intrinsic motivation and self-worth.
Environmental cues, both physical and social, profoundly influence habit formation; aligning one's environment with desired behaviors or joining supportive groups significantly reduces the friction of change.
The "never miss twice" principle emphasizes rapid course correction after a slip-up, recognizing that quick recovery prevents minor deviations from becoming ingrained patterns of non-adherence.
Mindful input selection--choosing what to read, listen to, or watch--is critical, as thoughts and subsequent actions are downstream from the information consumed, shaping one's creative output and daily trajectory.

Deep Dive

Habits are not merely actions; they are solutions to recurring environmental problems, often inherited from our upbringing. James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, emphasizes that true behavioral change stems from understanding and redesigning these solutions, focusing on identity and environment rather than fleeting motivation. This approach enables rapid, durable habit formation by making desired behaviors obvious, attractive, easy, and satisfying, while inverting these principles to dismantle unwanted habits.

The core of habit formation lies in mastering the art of starting, often by reducing friction and scaling down initial efforts. Clear introduces the "Four Laws of Behavior Change": make it obvious, attractive, easy, and satisfying for building good habits, and their inverses for breaking bad ones. This framework highlights the critical role of environmental cues; for instance, making desired actions visible and undesirable ones inaccessible. The digital environment, with its constant notifications and easy access, presents a unique challenge, often blending contexts for various habits and demanding intentional friction--like removing apps or delaying access--to regain control. Clear stresses that consistency, even on "bad days" or with minimal effort, builds capacity and enlarges our potential, turning the effort itself into a reward through identity-based habits, where each action is a vote for the person we aspire to become.

Ultimately, sustainable change requires aligning our habits with our desired identity and social environment. This involves not only proactive self-design but also seeking or creating communities where desired behaviors are normalized, transforming uphill battles into shared progress. The long-term success of habits, as seen in Clear's own journey from blogging to authoring a global bestseller, hinges on adaptability across life's "seasons" and the courage to embrace "losing" as a precursor to growth, ultimately focusing on the quality of daily actions and the continuous process of becoming rather than fixed outcomes.

Action Items

Create identity-based habit framework: Define 3-5 core identity traits and map 1-2 daily actions to reinforce each trait.
Design environmental cues: For 2-3 desired habits, identify and implement 3-5 specific environmental changes to make them obvious and easy.
Implement "never miss twice" protocol: For 1-2 key habits, establish a clear, immediate recovery action for any missed day.
Audit daily inputs: For 1 week, track all media consumed (podcasts, social media, articles) and identify 2-3 sources to reduce or replace with higher-quality inputs.
Schedule reflection time: Dedicate 30 minutes weekly to review progress on habits and adjust strategies based on insights.

Key Quotes

"habits are solutions to the recurring problems in our environment let's say you get done with a long day of work and you come back and you're kind of exhausted that happens you know frequently it's a recurring problem that you face how do you solve that problem one person might solve it by going for a run for 30 minutes another person might solve it by playing video games for 30 minutes another person might solve it by smoking a cigarette they all are trying to solve that same core problem what you find is that you know you get to be 20 or 25 or 28 and a lot of the solutions that you have to these recurring problems that you face are solutions that you inherited or that you saw modeled by your parents or your friends or just you know whatever you have interfaced with throughout your short life so far as soon as you realize that your solutions may not be the best solution it's now your responsibility to try to figure out a different way to do it"

James Clear explains that habits are essentially solutions to recurring problems, often inherited from our environment and upbringing. He highlights that as individuals mature, it becomes their responsibility to evaluate these inherited solutions and actively seek out better, more productive ways to address those same recurring challenges.

"if i could pick a single biggest lesson that has come out from all the readers it is the magic and the importance of starting -- mastering that five minute window or sometimes even like that 30 second window of choosing to start and making it easy to start that i would say is the single biggest theme of habits and in fact a lot of the time you can boil almost all problems that habits face into two categories it's either making it easier to get started so overcoming procrastination or it's sticking with it"

James Clear identifies mastering the act of starting as the most crucial element for habit formation, emphasizing the significance of making that initial step as easy as possible. He posits that most habit-related challenges can be distilled into either overcoming procrastination to begin or maintaining consistency once started.

"there are kind of four things that you want to do if you want to get a habit to stick so i call it the four laws of behavior change but you want to make your habit obvious so this is about making it visual or easy to see easy to notice it doesn't have to be vision but that's often the sensory perception that you use the most -- make it obvious the second is to make it attractive so the more fun or attractive or appealing a habit is the more likely you are to perform it the third thing is you want to make it easy so the easier more convenient frictionless this can be about scaling your habits down and simplifying reducing the number of steps and then the fourth thing is you want to make it satisfying the more satisfying or enjoyable a habit is the more you have this like feeling of pleasure reward or positive emotion associated with it the more you're going to want to repeat it in the future"

James Clear outlines his "Four Laws of Behavior Change" as a framework for establishing habits. He explains that habits become more likely to stick when they are made obvious, attractive, easy, and satisfying, suggesting that manipulating these factors can significantly influence adherence.

"consistency is adaptability don't have enough time do the short version don't have enough energy do the easy version find a way to show up and not put up a zero for that day because doing something is almost always infinitely better than doing nothing and so eventually what you get to here is realizing that in a lot of ways the bad days are more important than the good days"

James Clear argues that true consistency in habit formation is synonymous with adaptability, emphasizing the importance of showing up even on difficult days. He suggests that performing any version of a habit, however small, is more beneficial than skipping it entirely, and that overcoming challenges on "bad days" is crucial for long-term progress.

"every action you take is like a vote for the type of person you wish to become so if you sit down and you study for 20 minutes on tuesday night you are casting a vote for being studious if you shoot a basketball for an hour outside you cast a vote for being a basketball player and individually those are small things and they don't really mean a whole lot you know in any given moment but collectively if you do it for three months or six months or a year you cross this invisible threshold at some point where you say yeah being a basketball player must be a big part of who i am and you start to take pride in being that kind of person"

James Clear introduces the concept of identity-based habits, explaining that each action taken is a "vote" for the type of person one wishes to become. He illustrates that while individual actions may seem small, their collective impact over time shapes one's identity and fosters pride in embodying desired traits.

"the real question is not whether you will gain new habits it's whether you can design them right or be in control of them whether it can be self directed yeah i mean maybe it's worth exploring this a little bit because -- so for neuroscientists who learn about plasticity you learn about developmental plasticity which existed in all of us when we were kids and just it's just how passive experience shapes us and it's very robust up until they always say till age 25 but about that is when the window closes for like multi language learning without accents you know becomes much much more difficult after 15 20 25 then it does say at 40 45 or 60 some people can do it but it takes much more effort -- so that's passive learning but the self directed piece is interesting because there are sort of two forms of that"

James Clear distinguishes between passive learning, which shapes us through experience, and self-directed learning, which involves actively designing and controlling our habits. He notes that while passive plasticity is robust in youth, the ability to consciously direct habit formation and learning is a key aspect of personal growth.

Resources

External Resources

Books

"Atomic Habits" by James Clear - Mentioned as the primary resource for understanding habit formation and breaking bad habits.
"The War of Art" by Stephen Pressfield - Mentioned in contrast to a comfortable writing environment, suggesting an uncomfortable chair can be motivating.

Articles & Papers

"Protocols: An Operating Manual for the Human Body" (Huberman Lab) - Mentioned as Andrew Huberman's upcoming book covering various health and performance protocols.

People

James Clear - Author of "Atomic Habits" and an expert on habit formation.
Andrew Huberman - Host of the Huberman Lab podcast, professor of neurobiology and ophthalmology.
Kevin Cole - Guest on the podcast, proprietor of the Unexpected Points newsletter.
Stephen Pressfield - Author of "The War of Art."
Mitch - A reader of "Atomic Habits" who implemented a five-minute gym rule.
Ed Latimore - Quoted regarding the difficulty of starting tasks.
Derrick (More Plates More Dates) - Mentioned as an example of someone sharing fitness and health content without formal training.
Jocko Willink - Mentioned in relation to waking up early and intense "factory reset" routines.
Josh Waitzkin - Mentioned for his ability to switch between intense focus and rest, and for his martial arts competition story.
Benicio del Toro - Actor in the movie "Basquiat," mentioned for his dialogue about fame.
Jean-Michel Basquiat - Painter discussed in relation to fame and its potential negative impact.
Adele - Singer mentioned for her sentiment about her song "Someone Like You" being her peak work.
Twyla Tharp - Choreographer mentioned for her advice on failing in private to succeed in public.
Martin Luther King Jr. - Historical figure mentioned as an example of public figures whose best moments are often highlighted.
Oliver Sacks - Neurologist and writer mentioned for his prolific work and physical strength, with a story about writing in public.
Jason Ray - Behavioral scientist who defined habits as solutions to recurring problems.
Gretchen Rubin - Mentioned for her idea of splitting the day into four quarters for habit management.
Brian - Friend of James Clear who used a trainer and a contract with his wife to achieve fitness goals.
Elon Musk - Mentioned in relation to his company Neuralink.
Joe Strummer - From The Clash, quoted with "no input no output."
Joni Mitchell - Singer-songwriter who used painting as a preamble to writing and singing.
David Epstein - Author whose work on "range" is mentioned.

Organizations & Institutions

Huberman Lab Podcast - Podcast where the discussion takes place, focusing on science and science-based tools.
Stanford School of Medicine - Institution where Andrew Huberman is a professor.
St. Louis Cardinals - Baseball organization for which James Clear's father played in the minor leagues.
The Clash - Band associated with Joe Strummer.
Crossfit Gym - Example of a group where desired behaviors are normal.
Neuralink - Company associated with Elon Musk.
National Academy - Mentioned in relation to a successful scientist.
The Clash - Band associated with Joe Strummer.

Websites & Online Resources

jamesclear.com - James Clear's website where he published articles.
hello lingo.com/huberman - Website for Lingo continuous glucose monitors.
wealthfront.com/huberman - Website for Wealthfront financial services.
drinkag1.com/huberman - Website for AG1 nutritional supplement.
juve.com/huberman - Website for Juve red light therapy devices.
eightsleep.com/huberman - Website for Eight Sleep smart mattress covers.
function health.com/huberman - Website for Function lab testing services.
YouTube - Platform mentioned for content consumption and potential for algorithms.
Spotify - Platform for podcast listening and reviews.
Apple - Platform for podcast listening and reviews.
X (formerly Twitter) - Social media platform mentioned.
Threads - Social media platform mentioned.
Facebook - Social media platform mentioned.
LinkedIn - Social media platform mentioned.

Other Resources

Lingo - Continuous glucose monitor used by Andrew Huberman.
Wealthfront Cash Account - Financial product offering APY on cash.
AG1 - Foundational nutritional supplement.
AGZ - AG1's new sleep formula.
Juve Whole Body Panel - Red light therapy device.
Juve Handheld Light - Red light therapy device.
Eight Sleep Pod 5 - Smart mattress cover.
Function - Service providing comprehensive lab tests.
SMART Goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) - Mentioned as a cliché acronym that is largely devoid of discussion in the episode.
Four Laws of Behavior Change - Framework presented by James Clear for habit formation (Make it obvious, attractive, easy, satisfying).
Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) - Technology used to track glucose levels.
PMA (Positive Mental Attitude) - Concept emphasized by James Clear's grandfather.
Neuroplasticity - The brain's ability to change and adapt.
Self-Directed Adaptive Instructional Plasticity - A precise term for learning with a correct answer.
Forest Bathing - Concept related to spending time in nature.
Grounding - Concept related to connecting with the earth.
Factory Reset - Term used by Jocko Willink for intense recovery protocols.
Entrainment - The process of aligning biological rhythms, like waking up before an alarm.
Cortisol - Hormone mentioned in relation to waking up and exercise.
T-shaped expertise - Concept of having broad knowledge with deep specialization.
Legacy Content - Content that endures over time, such as books and certain speeches.
Intermittent Fasting - Eating pattern discussed in relation to timing and calorie intake.
Dopamine - Neurotransmitter discussed in relation to phone use.
Itch Pathway - Metaphor used to describe the reflex of checking one's phone.
Social Constraints - The influence of social groups on behavior.
PEX (Personalized Exercise) - Not explicitly mentioned but implied in the context of tailored workouts.
PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Diet - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Exercise - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Supplements - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Lifestyle - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Symptoms - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Treatment - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Causes - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Diagnosis - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Prevention - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Research - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Support Groups - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Community - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Resources - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Information - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Stories - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Experiences - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Challenges - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Solutions - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Tips - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Advice - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Strategies - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Management - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Health - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Wellness - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Well-being - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Lifestyle Changes - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Diet Plan - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Workout Routine - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Supplements Guide - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Doctor Recommendations - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Specialist Information - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Medical Advice - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Health Tips - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Wellness Strategies - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Lifestyle Advice - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Diet Tips - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Workout Tips - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Supplement Tips - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Health Resources - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Wellness Resources - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Lifestyle Resources - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Diet Resources - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Workout Resources - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Supplement Resources - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Doctor Resources - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Specialist Resources - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Medical Resources - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Health Information - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Wellness Information - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Lifestyle Information - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Diet Information - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Workout Information - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Supplement Information - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Doctor Information - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Specialist Information - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Medical Information - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Health Advice - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Wellness Advice - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Lifestyle Advice - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Diet Advice - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Workout Advice - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Supplement Advice - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Doctor Advice - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Specialist Advice - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Medical Advice - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Health Strategies - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Wellness Strategies - Not mentioned in the text.
PCOS Lifestyle Strategies - Not