“The will to win is wasted if it is directed towards trivial affairs.”
James Clear, Blog
James Clear Quotes
“Without altering the facts of the situation I am facing and without ignoring the reality of what must be done, what is the most useful and empowering story I can tell myself about what is happening and what I need to do next?”
James Clear, Blog
“One of the great gifts of sports is learning how to fail in public. People never go to the gym because they’re scared of looking stupid, never share their writing because they’re scared of judgment, never open their heart because they’re scared of rejection. Sports train you to face your fear.”
James Clear, Blog
“Simple mindset shifts: I’m not hurt, I’m healing; I’m not losing, I’m learning; I was not rejected, I was redirected. Negative things happen. Negative mindsets make them harder.”
James Clear, Blog
“Keep ignoring feedback and life will keep teaching you the same lesson.”
James Clear, Blog
“Whatever age you are today, your future self would love to be it. Most people do not consider 65 to be a young age… but when you’re 75, you’d love to rewind to 65 and regain those years. Few people would describe 35 as your youth, but in your mid-50s your mid-30s will seem like the “young you.” Today is a great opportunity, no matter your age. Looking back in a few years, today will seem like the time when you were young and full of potential or the moment when you could have started early or the turning point when you made a choice that benefited your future. The moment in front of you right now is a good one. Make the most of it.”
James Clear, Blog
“Keeping the habit alive is a powerful act. It’s easier to stay in shape than to get in shape. It’s easier to keep a house clean than to get it clean. Many days it may feel like you are treading water, but maintaining your progress saves your future self a great deal of work.”
James Clear, Blog
“Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is eliminate the task. Downsize. The rooms you don’t have, don’t need to be cleaned. Donate. The items you don’t own, don’t need to be organized. Delete. The projects you don’t take on, don’t need to be finished. Is this a problem that needs to be solved? Or is it a problem that can be eliminated all together?”
James Clear, Blog
“Most of the embarrassing moments of my life happened when I wanted to say no, but ended up saying yes (or saying nothing at all). Most of the missed opportunities in my life happened when I wanted to say yes, but ended up saying no (or saying nothing at all).”
James Clear, Blog
“Commitment makes good things better and bad things worse. The more ‘all-in’ you are on a good relationship, the better it becomes. The more you commit to a toxic relationship, the deeper you get trapped. The more you invest yourself in fulfilling work, the more your effort fuels you. The harder you work on a bad project or in an unsatisfying role, the more of a grind it becomes.”
James Clear, Blog
“If you’re always right, you’re not learning. If you’re never failing, you’re not reaching. The objective is to be right. The objective is to succeed. But if you’re always winning, you’re undershooting your potential.”
James Clear, Blog
“Mental toughness is often portrayed as determination and persistence, but it can also be flexibility and adaptability.
– I can be happy anywhere.
– I can work with what I have.
– I can have a good day with anyone.
You are tough when your mood is not dependent on your conditions.”
James Clear, Blog
“Life is a series of tradeoffs, and greater results usually require greater tradeoffs. The question is not, ‘Do you want to be great at this?’ The question is, ‘What are you willing to give up in order to be great at this?’”
James Clear, Blog
“On the ground, a rock is just a rock. But when moving at high speed through the atmosphere, a rock becomes a meteor—alive with fire and burning bright. People are not so different. Without activity, we are lifeless and dull. When moving fast and taking action, we come alive.”
James Clear, Blog
“Before you try to increase your willpower, try to decrease the friction in your environment.”
James Clear, Blog
“Remove the branches of a thorn bush today and you’ll avoid a scrape this year. But next year, you’ll face the same problem again. Remove the root of the bush today, and the entire plant will die. Are you solving problems at the branch level or the root level?”
James Clear, Blog
“The most important battles must be fought anew each day. Exercising today does not render tomorrow’s workout unnecessary. Supporting your spouse today does not mean you can mail it in tomorrow. Learn to love the endless nature of things and life gets easier.”
James Clear, Blog
“In school, you are graded on every test—even if it’s your weakest subject. In life, you can choose the tests you take—even if they always play to your strengths. Maintain a baseline so your weak areas don’t hold you back, but design your life so you are graded on your strengths.”
James Clear, Blog
“Many good opportunities are ruined for the dream of slightly better ones. Would you have a more successful career if you had taken that other job or moved cities? Possibly. But your actual career will definitely suffer if you don’t commit to doing it to the best of your ability. Would you be 10% happier in a different relationship? Maybe. Maybe not. But you’ll definitely be unhappy in the one you have if you spend all day thinking about what else is out there. The surefire way to end up worse off is to agonize over unchosen options and fail to make the most of the one you selected. Every minute spent yearning for your unlived lives is a moment you can’t invest in the one you actually have. Choices matter, but so does your level of commitment.”
James Clear, Blog
“Good marketing can sell once, but only a good product can sell twice. In the long run, your performance reverts to the value you provide.”
James Clear, Blog