James Clear Newsletter Archive

“Your favorite athlete's first workout was just as bad as yours.

Your favorite chef's first meal was just as bad as yours.

Your favorite artist’s first work was just as bad as yours.

Keep going.”

Author and writing instructor Natalie Goldberg on how to improve your writing (or anything else):

“In order to improve your writing, you have to practice just like any other sport. But don’t be dutiful and make it into a blind routine. “Yes, I have written an hour today and I wrote an hour yesterday and an hour the day before.” Don’t just put in you... See more

Tim Grover was the athletic trainer used by Michael Jordan (and many elite NBA players). Here he is describing the three things he asks of every player:

“I don't care how much you can lift, how fast you can run, how many pull-ups you can do, or whether you can hit a three while blindfolded. There are only three things I ask of every client... Show u... See more

“In times of uncertainty, your habits can ground you.

When you feel overwhelmed, practice 1 minute of mindfulness.

When you feel restless, do a 1-minute workout.

When the world seems uncontrollable, focus on what you can control.”

Optimism is unfashionable today, particularly among intellectuals. Everyone makes fun of it. Someone said “Pessimists got that way by financing optimists.” But I am not pessimistic and I advise you not to be.

“Your outcomes are a lagging measure of your habits. Your net worth is a lagging measure of your financial habits. Your weight is a lagging measure of your eating habits. Your knowledge is a lagging measure of your learning habits. Your clutter is a lagging measure of your cleaning habits. You get what you repeat.”

The chef Samin Nosrat on endings:

“Endings don't have to be failures, especially when you choose to end a project or shut down a business...

Even the best gigs don't last forever. Nor should they.”

Did you know as a child you wanted to be a writer?

No. I wanted to be a reader. I thought everything that needed to be written had already been written or would be. I only wrote the first book because I thought it wasn’t there, and I wanted to read it when I got through. I am a pretty good reader. I love it. It is what I do, really. So, if I can re

... See more

Co-authors, Rosamund and Benjamin Zander , on optimism:

“People who describe the glass as half full are not delusional optimists. In fact, they are more based in reality because they are describing a substance that is actually in the glass. They are describing reality as it is. The cynic who describes the glass as half empty is focusing their energy... See more

“You always hold the rights to your effort, but never to your results.

Results are entitled to no one. At best, they are on loan and must be renewed each day.

All you own is the right to try.”