Atomic Habits and 12 Rules for Life are some of the most popular self-help books of modern times. Since both books are meant to help you improve your life, it’s normal to wonder which book should one read.
You should read Atomic Habits over 12 Rules of Life as it’s an action-oriented book. 12 Rules is philosophical and introspective. It offers guidelines on how to approach life. Atomic Habits translates philosophy into concrete actionable steps that you can implement immediately to improve your life.
Keep reading to learn more about the books and what exactly are they offering.
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James Clear vs Jordan Peterson
James Clear is an esteemed author and public motivational speaker from the United States with a highly successful online newsletter called 3-2-1. Clear has made several appearances on popular media and his book Atomic Habits has seen rave reviews. Additionally, Clear has shared his knowledge with a host of successful companies.
Jordan Peterson is a former clinical psychologist from Canada who has written several books based on his education, life experience, and research into everything from neuroscience to religion. Over the last few years, Peterson has made a name for himself by appearing on several podcasts and YouTube channels where he discusses various viewpoints, some of which are considered very controversial.
Atomic Habits Summary
Written by James Clear, Atomic Habits is an approachable look at the process of both building and maintaining habits that are healthy and supportive of a person’s life goals. Clear’s discipline and tenacity are perfectly translated in his no-nonsense methods for making life changes that actually stick.
James Clear offers a collection of anecdotes, addresses a lot of common roadblocks in habit-forming, and gives digestible solutions to finally overcome many of the barriers one might face when trying to eliminate habits and patterns of behavior that no longer serve them. He is able to give clear guidelines in ways that anyone can feel confident about.
What Clear Says About Habits
James Clear pulls from evidence-based understandings of the way our brains work from both a neurological and psychological perspective. While not all of his ideas may be revolutionary, Clear is able to frame his advice in such a way that it makes the reader feel as though self-improvement is possible.
Clear also manages to present the journey of adopting atomic habits as an empowering one full of opportunities for self-discovery. He challenges readers to see the process as one that can lead to great things, even if you are only taking small steps towards small changes. Even the smallest changes can reap great benefits according to Clear.
Why Atomic Habits Is Worth Reading
Part of what makes Clear’s methods so impactful is that he helps readers who internalize failure, having them focus instead on changing up the way they decide to approach habit forming. Clear also ensures that the reader is able to understand why they cling to bad habits so they can break the vicious cycle of falling into those predictable patterns.
The process of forming good habits and stopping bad ones can be so daunting for so many people that they simply continue the way they’re living and hope for a different result. Clear manages to reframe these undertakings in such a manner that it truly seems possible, even for the most stubborn readers.
The steps that Clear presents are broken down into ways that involve taking one step at a time toward one’s goal rather than trying to make a major change in one moment. His expertise can be applied to a wide range of habits so that anyone can benefit from picking up the book.
12 Rules for Life Summary
Jordan Peterson’s 12 Rules for Life is a presentation of several essays that address some of life’s challenges that a lot of people can relate to. It’s presented in such a way to both provide answers to readers and satisfy Peterson’s love of providing more direct advice to those who seek it.
Peterson believes that once a person owns their part in the trajectory of their life, they can start to have a more positive outlook when facing difficult times. Instead of telling people what can be possible, Peterson uses several examples of how using his presented approach has worked for people in the past.
What Peterson Says About Life
Peterson uses this particular book to focus on the more chaotic aspects of life. His writing discusses a lot of difficult situations that a variety of people might face, from self-doubt to maintaining relationships. Peterson uses a lot of knowledge that has existed around the world regarding how to handle some of the biggest challenges in life and consolidates it into 12 general rules for everyone to consider.
Throughout the book, Peterson uses personal stories and common life circumstances that many people will experience in some capacity to lead into what he believes are the right ways to persevere through those moments. Peterson also believes that people can get through these moments without sacrificing their core values and ideals.
Why 12 Rules for Life Is Worth Reading
When we’re faced with difficult situations, we can either confront them or we can avoid dealing with them until the situation becomes too much. Peterson uses his essays in 12 Rules for Life to challenge people to face chaotic moments head-on. For people who might have trouble acknowledging when things get hard, Peterson’s no-nonsense approach might be just what they need to hear.
12 Rules for Life seems to be aimed at younger people who may still be forming their problem-solving and critical-thinking skills. Even if that is the case, a lot of readers could likely find value given that Peterson touches on a lot of shared life experiences that most people deal with in some capacity.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for a book that’s truly going to encourage you to take action, Atomic Habits is the book you’re going to want to pick up first. Instead of just getting general advice that you can find anywhere, you’re getting what feels like a guide filled with actionable steps you can actually see yourself following when you give Atomic Habits a chance.
Atomic Habits is an easily digestible book that the majority of readers are going to be able to relate to on a personal level. You’re more likely to walk away from Atomic Habits feeling a sense of inspiration and motivation to finally take those small steps toward changing your life.
Ultimately, any attempt one makes to seek out advice to live a better life is one that’s worth celebrating.
