Knox Daniel - Atomic Habits

In James Clear’s best-selling book Atomic Habits, he repeatedly talks about prioritizing the process, or system, over the goal. This reminded me of our lengthy discussions about journeys and how they relate to destinations. When walking a Spanish camino or the Appalachian Trail, the healing and spiritual growth that comes with that experience is not from reaching the end. Rather, it stems from the days spent walking in nature and connecting with companions and other people on the trail. Similarly, Clear posits that when you find happiness on the journey, the destination becomes much easier to reach. I have found this to be true in my own life, as I perform much better in school when I enjoy and am challenged by the work I’m doing. This brief quote from the book sums things up: “Goals are good for setting a direction, but systems are best for making progress.” I would be interested to hear Dr. Redick’s thoughts about the relationship between Atomic Habits and his writings on veterans’ healing by walking. 

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