Identity-based habits
Aim at who you want to become, not the outcome you want to hit
Pick an identity, someone who trains, and treat every session as a vote for it, instead of setting a target like "lose 20 pounds". The argument is that outcome goals end the moment you hit them, while identities keep generating behavior. Practically it means asking what a person like that would do in this moment.
Who backs it
Sorted by strength of stance
- Ali AbdaalRecommends
Doctor turned YouTuber · author of Feel-Good Productivity
Identity comes first when he changes behavior, he says, citing the idea that each action is a vote for the person you want to become.
Source: aliabdaal.com: Atomic Habits book notes - Arnold SchwarzeneggerRecommends
Bodybuilding champion, actor, former governor · Arnold's Pump Club
Argues the point of a short daily workout is protecting your identity as someone who trains and keeps promises to themselves. Skipping, in his framing, is a vote for being someone who quits when motivation runs out.
Source: Arnold's Pump Club newsletter: The 20-Minute Insurance Policy - Chris BumsteadRecommends
Bodybuilder · Six-time Classic Physique Mr. Olympia
Write down who you want to be, not just the goal but the type of person who achieves it, then start acting like that person today. He says he coached himself the same way during Olympia prep, picturing his future self and asking whether a champion would rack the weights early.
Source: The Standard newsletter: How to Master Your Mindset - James ClearRecommends
Author · Atomic Habits
Every action is a vote for the type of person you want to be, in his framing, because identities outlast outcome goals.
Source: jamesclear.com: identity-based habits“Outcomes are about what you get. Processes are about what you do. Identity is about what you believe.”
jamesclear.com: Identity-Based Habits: How to Actually Stick to Your Goals This Year (opens in a new tab)
Aimed at the same thing
Other entries filed under productivity.
- ProtocolFREE, no cost
Environment design
Change the room instead of relying on willpower
Backed by 4 of 44 stacks: 1 do it, 3 recommend it, 0 have discussed it - ProtocolFREE, no cost
After-action review
Debrief what happened, what should have happened, and what changes
Backed by 3 of 44 stacks: 2 do it, 1 recommend it, 0 have discussed it - ProtocolFREE, no cost
Deep work blocks
Long, scheduled, distraction-free sessions on one cognitively hard task
Backed by 3 of 44 stacks: 2 do it, 1 recommend it, 0 have discussed it - ProtocolFREE, no cost
Time blocking
Give every hour of the workday a job before the day starts
Backed by 3 of 44 stacks: 2 do it, 1 recommend it, 0 have discussed it - ProtocolFREE, no cost
Digital declutter
A 30-day break from optional tech, then reintroduce deliberately
Backed by 2 of 44 stacks: 0 do it, 2 recommend it, 0 have discussed it - ProtocolFREE, no cost
Habit stacking
Anchor a new habit to one you already do without thinking
Backed by 2 of 44 stacks: 0 do it, 1 recommend it, 1 have discussed it
Protocol entry · notes paraphrased from cited sources, quoted excerpts copied from the transcript they link to. Not medical advice. Not affiliated with, endorsed by, or reviewed by anyone listed. How this works.