Best Articles
This page shares my best articles to read on topics like health, happiness, creativity, productivity and more. The central question that drives my work is, “How can we live better?” To answer that question, I like to write about science-based ways to solve practical problems.
You’ll find interesting articles to read on topics like how to stop procrastinating as well as personal recommendations like my list of the best books to read and my minimalist travel guide. Ready to dive in? You can use the categories below to browse my best articles or scroll down to see every post by date and title.
Best Articles by Category
Better Habits
Behavioral Psychology
Habits
Motivation
Procrastination
Optimal Health
Better Sleep
Eating Healthy
Strength Training
Better Thinking
Creativity
Decision Making
Focus
Mental Toughness
Lifelong Learning
Life Lessons
Reading List
Self-Improvement
Better Performance
Constant Improvement
Deliberate Practice
Goal Setting
Productivity
James Clear
About James
Annual Reviews
Integrity Reports
All Articles by Date
Scroll down to browse all of my articles by date and title. Articles are listed in reverse chronological order with my newest articles at the top and my oldest essays at the bottom.
2020
January 6
My 2019 Annual Review 2019
2018
December 31
My 2018 Annual Review October 18
How to Make Your Future Habits Easy October 15
The Habits Scorecard: Use This Simple Exercise to Discover Which Habits You Should Change September 10
Why Facts Don’t Change Our Minds September 3
7 Ways to Retain More of Every Book You Read August 7
Introducing Atomic Habits 2017
December 31
My 2017 Annual Review February 6
The Paradox of Behavior Change January 23
The Beginner’s Guide to Deliberate Practice January 16
The Myth and Magic of Deliberate Practice 2016
December 31
My 2016 Annual Review December 19
The 10 Best Articles of 2016 August 30
The Shadow Side of Greatness August 9
How Innovative Ideas Arise June 6
My 2016 Integrity Report 2015
December 31
My 2015 Annual Review December 28
The 10 Best Articles of 2015 September 29
Creativity Is a Process, Not an Event September 21
Scott Dinsmore: A Tribute September 14
I’m No Longer Writing Twice Per Week. Here’s Why. September 8
How to Be Happy When Everything Goes Wrong September 1
Why Old Ideas Are a Secret Weapon August 14
How Experts Figure What to Focus On June 19
Fast Growth is Overrated April 28
You’re Not Ready for Marriage April 24
How to Optimize Your Daily Decisions March 31
Do More of What Already Works March 23
My 2015 Integrity Report March 20
The Goal is Not the Point March 17
5 Lessons on Being Wrong February 24
The 5 Triggers That Make New Habits Stick February 16
Albert Einstein’s Incredible Work Ethic February 10
Fear vs. Ambition 2014
December 29
My 2014 Annual Review December 4
The 10 Best Articles of 2014 November 25
Avoid the Second Mistake November 17
To Make Big Gains, Avoid Tiny Losses November 13
A Different Way of Thinking About Productivity November 10
10 Lessons Learned from Squatting 400 Pounds November 3
How Experts Practice Better Than the Rest October 27
Hacking the Workout Journal: How to Track Your Workouts in the Simplest, Most Effective Way Possible October 20
Warren Buffett’s “2 List” Strategy: How to Maximize Your Focus and Master Your Priorities October 9
How Smart Do You Have to Be to Succeed? October 6
“Email is Where Keystrokes Go to Die.” September 26
3 Ways to Improve Your Sleep September 18
3 Simple Ways to Make Exercise a Habit September 15
Photo Essay: The Isle of Skye, Scotland September 1
What I’m Reading: Fall 2014 Edition August 28
Measure Backward, Not Forward August 14
How to Build Skills That Are Valuable August 7
The Health Benefits of Music July 24
How to Solve Big Problems May 22
Do Things You Can Sustain April 21
Smart People Should Create Things April 7
How to be More Productive and Eliminate Time Wasting Activities by Using the “Eisenhower Box” March 24
My 2014 Integrity Report March 10
Why I Write February 27
The Myth of Creative Inspiration February 24
The Power of Imperfect Starts February 17
The Power of Less: I Removed Every Inessential Thing From My Website and Here’s What Happened February 10
Strategies I’m Using to Stay Fit While Traveling February 6
Treat Failure Like a Scientist 2013
December 30
My 2013 Annual Review December 5
The 10 Best Articles of 2013 November 21
If You Sit at a Computer All Day This Mobility Exercise Will Change Your Life in 30 Seconds November 11
You’re Not Good Enough to Be Disappointed October 31
10 Common Mistakes That Prevent You From Being Happy and Healthy Today, Backed by Science October 21
Do the Painful Things First September 30
How Willpower Works: How to Avoid Bad Decisions September 23
How to Stick to Your Goals When Life Gets Crazy September 12
The Fight is the Reward August 29
The Crime Your Brain Commits Against You August 26
The “Chosen Ones” Choose Themselves June 17
Random Ideas About Life April 25
Post is coming! April 22
The Two Types of Inspiration March 25
How to Focus and Concentrate Better February 28
Why Everyone Should Act Like an Entrepreneur February 25
How to Heal Yourself February 21
How to Achieve Your Goals Easily February 14
How To Start New Habits That Actually Stick February 7
Why Everyone Should Lift Weights January 31
The Magic of Committing to a Specific Goal January 28
5 Simple Ways to Be Happy January 17
When to be Unreasonable With Yourself January 14
Why is it So Hard to Stick to Good Habits? 2012
December 24
What Does it Mean to Live a Healthy Life? December 20
The Top Life Regret of Dying Hospital Patients December 10
The Beginner’s Guide to Intermittent Fasting November 29
The 10 Pillars of Our Community November 12
Successful People Start Before They Feel Ready 