"People can help you in many ways throughout life, but there are two things nobody can give you: curiosity and drive. They must be self-supplied.
If you are not interested and curious, all the information in the world can be at your fingertips, but it will be relatively useless. If you are not motivated and driven, whatever connections or opportunities are available to you will be rendered inert.
Now, you won't feel curious and driven about every area of life, and that's fine. But it really pays to find something that lights you up. This is one of the primary quests of life: to find the thing that ignites your curiosity and drive.
There are many recipes for success. There is no single way to win. But nearly all recipes include two ingredients: curiosity and drive."
- James Clear
"The recipe for finding opportunities is:
1. Be pleasant
2. Ask questions
3. Engage daily
It's hard for a warm and pleasant person who is asking a lot of questions and engaging in their industry daily to not come across interesting opportunities. "
- James Clear
"Wisdom is the echo of experience."
- James Clear
"You don't need to worry about progressing slowly. You need to worry about climbing the wrong mountain."
- James Clear
"Mastery is not only about getting better at your craft, but also about finding ways to eliminate the obstacles, distractions, and other annoyances that prevent you from working on your craft.
Top performers find ways to spend as much time as possible on what matters and as little time as possible on what doesn't. It is not someone else's responsibility to create the conditions for success.
You have to actively work to eliminate the things that don't matter from your workload. If you haven't figured out how to do that, you haven't mastered your craft."
- James Clear
"If you feel resistance before you begin, it's usually procrastination and you need to get started.
If you feel resistance after you begin, it's usually feedback and you need to make adjustments."
- James Clear
"Focus is how you knit the hours of the day together. With focus, the day becomes a beautiful tapestry. Without focus, you end up holding a bundle of loose string."
- James Clear
"Holding onto anger and resentment is like scuba diving with an anchor. As long as you're clinging to it, you're bound to the seabed, limited in movement, unable to appreciate the coral reefs and the colorful fish that dart in and out of view.
Forgiveness is letting go of the anchor. It isn't about declaring what was done to you is okay, but about unburdening yourself so you can swim freely. Forgiveness is a gift you give yourself. It's the gift of letting go of the anchors you've been carrying."
- James Clear
"My friend, who sometimes shares his writing with me, once said my feedback always falls into three categories:
1. Make it shorter.
2. Make it more appealing.
3. How could it apply to more people?"
- James Clear
"Some people get addicted to chain-smoking their problems. They spend all day going from sorrow to sorrow. It doesn't have to be that way. You can live each day going from joy to joy—like a sunflower that turns to face the sun as it moves across the sky. It's not about having a problem-free life, but about focusing on the light. Sunflowers still have shadows, but they are always behind them."
- James Clear
"The beginner chases the right answers.
The master chases the right questions."
- James Clear
"The reason people get good ideas in the shower is because it's the only time during the day when most people are away from screens long enough to think clearly. The lesson is not to take more showers, but rather to make more time to think."
- James Clear
"In theory, consistency is about being disciplined, determined, and unwavering.
In practice, consistency is about being adaptable. Don't have much time? Scale it down. Don't have much energy? Do the easy version. Find different ways to show up depending on the circumstances. Let your habits change shape to meet the demands of the day.
Adaptability is the way of consistency."
- James Clear
"If you want to avoid criticism, create less.
If you want to avoid irrelevance, create more."
- James Clear
"The secret is not to find the meaning of life, but to use your life to make things that are meaningful."
- James Clear
"Do things for your own satisfaction. Consider praise from others to be a bonus. If you don't work for their validation in the first place, you won't need it to feel satisfied once it's done."
- James Clear
"If you want a simple formula for having a good day, then get a workout done and do your most important task before lunch. Knock out those two things by noon and you really feel like you're ahead of the day."
- James Clear
"Stop paying so much attention to what everyone else is doing and run your own race. How much time is spent reading other people's posts on social media, watching other people's exploits in the news, listening to other people's ideas on podcasts? Go have coffee with a friend. Go make something. Go outside. All those hours spent looking at someone else's life on a screen could be used to take action in your own life."
- James Clear
"Always ask, but never expect.
Always ask for what you want. Many people are happy to help—if the request is direct and specific. In a surprising number of cases, something remarkable is possible if you have the courage to ask.
Never expect people to say yes. Everyone is busy and balancing multiple priorities. Your request is not their responsibility. When you're told no, move on lightly and freely. The world is full of opportunity."
- James Clear
"I think about decisions in three ways: hats, haircuts, and tattoos.
Most decisions are like hats. Try one and if you don’t like it, put it back and try another. The cost of a mistake is low, so move quickly and try a bunch of hats.
Some decisions are like haircuts. You can fix a bad one, but it won’t be quick and you might feel foolish for awhile. That said, don’t be scared of a bad haircut. Trying something new is usually a risk worth taking. If it doesn’t work out, by this time next year you will have moved on and so will everyone else.
A few decisions are like tattoos. Once you make them, you have to live with them. Some mistakes are irreversible. Maybe you’ll move on for a moment, but then you’ll glance in the mirror and be reminded of that choice all over again. Even years later, the decision leaves a mark. When you’re dealing with an irreversible choice, move slowly and think carefully."
- James Clear
"When I go into a situation, I try to keep a mindset of baseline optimism.
-When starting the day: It’s going to be a good day.
-When meeting someone new: I’m going to like them.
-When trying something challenging: It’s going to work out.
Problems will inevitably arise and I’ll deal with them as the situation demands, but my preference is to assume I’m on a winning path until proven otherwise."
- James Clear
"You should always be rooting for the people you know. Not only because you may need their support tomorrow, but also because it feels good to celebrate something.
Celebration can rescue your day—even if it is someone else's victory. Envy will ruin your day—even if you're actually winning."
- James Clear
"Pay attention to how readily people talk themselves out of things—and be wary of adopting the same narrative. People will often try to convince you their limiting beliefs should become your own. They do not. Find your own ceiling."
- James Clear
"Frankly, the most valuable items in our house might be a squat rack, a bench, and a set of weights. I thought I was purchasing gym equipment, but I was actually buying peace of mind."
- James Clear
"If you want a recipe for unhappiness, spend your time accumulating a lot of money and let your health and relationships deteriorate."
- James Clear
"The obvious way to buy back your time is to pay someone to do something for you. Pay the mechanic to change your oil or a dry cleaner to press your suit.
The less obvious way to buy back your time is to say no. Passing on a promotion might "buy" you more time with family. Declining the dinner invite might "pay" for the time you need to exercise. We buy back our time not only with the money we spend, but also with the opportunities we decline.
The more clearly you know how you want to spend your days, the easier it becomes to say no to the requests that steal your hours."
- James Clear
"I have learned that whenever I think "I don't have enough time to do that" what I usually mean is "I don't have enough energy" or "I am not actually interested in doing this."
What I need to do a better job of is not managing my time, but rather caring for myself and identifying my true interests. When I am well rested and working on something I am genuinely excited about, finding time is rarely a problem."
- James Clear
"The pessimist criticizes, the optimist creates."
- James Clear
"Don't worry about being the most interesting person in the room, just try to be the most interested person in the room.
-The interested person asks about others and leaves a good impression because people like talking about themselves.
-The interested person is genuinely curious about someone's craft and learns a lot about how things work.
-The interested person engages with more people and—because opportunities come through people—is more likely to catch a lucky break.
In general, the interested person learns more and tends to be well-liked. And in the long run, it's hard to keep down someone who is well-learned and well-liked."
- James Clear
"A simple filter for managing your time: You're not focused enough unless you're mourning some of the things you're saying no to."
- James Clear
"Curiosity can empower you or impede you.
Being curious and focused is a powerful combination. I define this combination as unleashing your curiosity within the domain of a particular task: asking questions about how things work, exploring different lines of attack for solving the problem, reading ideas from outside domains while always looking for ways to transfer the knowledge back to your main task, and so on. Even though you're exploring widely, you're generally moving the ball forward on the main thing. You start something and you keep searching until you find an effective way to finish it.
Meanwhile, when your curiosity sends you off in a dozen different directions and fractures your attention, then it can prevent you from focusing on one thing long enough to see it through to completion. Curious, but unfocused. You're jumping from one topic to the next, they aren't necessarily related, your efforts don't accumulate, you're simply exploring. You start many things and finish few.
How is your curiosity being directed? Is it rocket fuel or a roadblock?"
- James Clear
"The amateur does not know what to do.
The master knows what not to do."
- James Clear
"You will love whatever you pour your heart into. Passion follows commitment."
- James Clear
"Many of the best things in life grow along the way.
Start hanging out with someone and love grows along the way.
Start exercising and motivation grows along the way.
Start writing and inspiration grows along the way.
Start now and let the feeling follow."
- James Clear
"The information you consume each day is the soil from which your future thoughts grow."
- James Clear
"Of all the ways you could be spending your precious time and attention, it is very unlikely that you are currently spending it in the optimal way. The only path I know for figuring out a better way to spend your life is to sit and think. You simply have to carve out some time to think carefully about what you’re doing, why you’re doing it, and what you’re really trying to achieve. Nobody stumbles into a well lived life. It has to be cultivated. Reflection and review are critical."
- James Clear
"The way to live a full life is to act quickly.
Particularly as you grow older, it's alarmingly easy to let a year or two (or five) slip by without doing the big things you always felt like doing. You get into a rhythm—not necessarily one you love, but one you become comfortable repeating—and the grooves of your daily routine become deeper and more established.
Speed is perpetually undervalued. That doesn't mean you should feel frantic or rushed. In fact, it's likely you should eliminate some of the things that make you feel so busy to make space for things you always wanted to do. But it definitely means you should stop letting the days drift by waiting for the moment to be right.
Stop acting like there is infinite time. This—the way you are living right now—is your one life."
- James Clear
"It's more fun to be a fan than a critic. I'm not looking to spend my life tearing things down, when it can be so satisfying to build things up."
- James Clear
"It is not too late to do what you want to do—if you stop waiting for the time to be right"
- James Clear
"Life is harder when you expect a lot of the world and little of yourself.
Life is easier when you expect a lot of yourself and little of the world.
High standards, low expectations."
- James Clear
"You are not the cause of everything that happens to you, but you are responsible for how you respond to everything that happens to you."
- James Clear
"One of the most unexpected gifts you can receive is an early loss.
-Missing out on a job you really wanted.
-Trying a business idea that fails.
-Suffering a heartbreak.
An early setback can become the catalyst for a wonderful next chapter—if you channel the emotion effectively.
Disappointment is a hot burning fuel. Let it light your fire to become better."
- James Clear
"Consistency enlarges ability."
- James Clear
"The imperfect project you actually complete is worth more than the perfect project you never finish."
- James Clear
"You won't always get what you strive for, but you will definitely get what you settle for. You won't magically outperform your standards."
- James Clear
"Be ruthless about what you ignore. Time, energy, and resources are so precious. You have to be ferocious about cutting your priorities—more than you realize and certainly more than is comfortable.
You can only deeply commit to a few things. One or two? Maybe three?
Every pretty good, sorta nice, kinda fun thing you abandon is like shedding a weighted vest that lets you move at top speed. You were so busy focusing on how much you could carry, you never realized you could run this fast."
- James Clear
"At some point, you will have to learn to let go.
There is an endless list of obligations and expectations, desires and ambitions, and worries and fears that will always be ready to insert themselves between you and the feeling of peace.
If you never learn to let them go, there will never be enough."
- James Clear
"You have to live with your mistakes, but you don't have to compound them.
To follow up an error with a foolish reaction is to lose twice. Given the reality of where you are right now, what is the best next action?
A wise response may not erase a dumb mistake, but it can redeem it."
- James Clear
"Forget about peak performance. Would your results improve if you simply focused on being reliable in the normal moments?
Show up when it's easy to skip. Do the fundamentals and do them well. And so on.
Before you make it complicated, remember there are always simple improvements waiting to be made."
- James Clear
"Relax. Your rumination, analysis, worry, and need to control the future are robbing you of the current moment. Yes, there is a time for preparation, but continually thinking of the future guarantees you'll never enjoy in the present."
- James Clear