30 One-Sentence Stories From People Who Have Built Better Habits

- One reader named Caelan wrote, “I quit smoking by assigning my cheat days progressively farther in the future. I never quit “for good,” I only quit until my next cheat day. This helped with cravings, because the choice wasn’t between “right now” or “never,” it was “right now” or “later.”

Environment Design

- Another way you can change a habit is by identifying and altering the cues that prompt your behavior. 

The simple truth is our environment often shapes our behavior.

- Another popular tactic in the book is something I call “habit stacking.” It's strategy I first learned from Stanford professor B.J. Fogg. He refers to it as “anchoring” because you anchor—or stack—your new habit onto a current habit.

- To a certain degree, habit substitution allows you to look for a healthier obsession. Some people are hooked on alcohol. Others are hooked on exercise.

Identity Based Habits

Habit Stacking

In this article, I'd like to share 30 “one-sentence stories” about building better habits. None of these stories are mine. They were sent to me by readers of Atomic Habits.

- Shawn used this approach to stop smoking. “I decided to quit smoking and used a fun-sized Snickers candy bar as a substitute until the major cravings went away. I'm still smoke-free years later.”