Rereading Atomic Habits: Realigning My Identity and Habits

I didn’t pick up Atomic Habits again to chase new goals. I returned to it because something felt off.

A few days ago, amidst the seasonal shift, the full moon in Sagittarius on 11 June 2025, and the approach of a long weekend, I felt the need to realign—not with hustle culture, but with the essentials: what I do each day and why.

James Clear’s main idea still holds: small, consistent actions compound into massive change. He writes, “You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.” That quote has resonated with me since my first read. However, this time, I felt its weight differently.

I started asking: Are the systems I’m following still aligned with the person I’m becoming, or are they habits I’m simply loyal to out of routine?

Why the Science Still Matters

Clear’s model of how habits form—through cue, craving, response, and reward—continues to hold weight because it mirrors how our brains conserve energy. Many of our daily actions aren’t conscious choices; they’re practiced responses. Once a behavior becomes second nature, we’re no longer actively deciding. We’re simply repeating.

That’s powerful when our habits are aligned with who we’re becoming. But when they aren’t, that same efficiency can turn into resistance. Old routines can subtly shape our days without reflection, nudging us toward patterns that no longer fit. Over time, what was once a tool for growth can quietly become an obstacle.

Why Identity Matters More Than Routine

Clear puts it clearly: “Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become.” But what happens when the “you” those votes were cast for no longer exists?

That’s where my reread shifted from interesting to necessary. I started thinking about how certain habits, even the most well-intentioned ones, start to lose their hold when they no longer reflect who we are becoming. At first, they feel empowering, aligned with a clear purpose.

But over time, if we don’t reexamine them, they become something else entirely. Familiar. Automatic. Disconnected. We may keep them because they feel productive, but deep down, they can act more like a performance of a past identity than a reflection of who we are now.

When Habits Become Noise

One idea stood out more this time: Clear says the biggest threat to success isn’t failure; it’s boredom. That checked out. A few of my routines, once energising, now feel lifeless. Not because they’re wrong, but because they’ve outlived their relevance. Journaling, exercising, even the way I start my day—they haven’t adapted to who I am right now.

Habits aren’t meant to be relics. They’re tools. If the tools are no longer building what matters, it’s okay to put them down and choose new ones.

What I’m Taking From This Reread

I didn’t come away with a new productivity system. Instead, I came away with questions: Which of my current habits still reflect the person I’m becoming? Which ones are just old systems on autopilot? What do I need to shift—not in a dramatic overhaul, but in quiet, intentional ways?

Because that’s what Clear’s work ultimately offers: a system for evolving intentionally.

Final Thoughts

Atomic Habits is not a book about doing more. It’s about paying attention. It’s about realising that habits aren’t just behaviours; they’re daily evidence of your values and your identity.

This reread was a check-in, a reminder that even the most grounded routines need reflection, especially when you’re changing. And we all are.