There are tons of self-help books on habit building. Atomic Habits and The Compound Effect are some of the most well-known names. Both books explore similar concepts about good habits and bad habits. So it’s normal to wonder which book should one read.
You should read Atomic Habits over The Compound Effect because while the latter merely offers ideas and motivations, the former offers advice on how to build habits or systems to improve your life. Atomic Habits is way more action-oriented than any other self-help book out there.
In the rest of the article, we are going briefly look at the authors and then we will dive deep into each book and see what they are offering.
Table of Contents
James Clear vs Darren Hardy
James Clear is the author of Atomic Habit, and he is known for his unique writing style that gives his readers a kick in the right direction. He writes about building a healthier lifestyle. After suffering a terrible injury, James Clear decided to help others by writing about his philosophies.
Darren Hardy is the author of The Compound Effect, and he is known for his consistency to deliver thought-provoking ideas. He has a passion for helping people daily by giving them messages, books, and training to help them build better philosophies surrounding their lives.
Atomic Habits Summary
Atomic Habits is a self-help book targeted toward a general audience. It has practical concepts that can be understood by a wide variety of age groups. It is one of the best-selling self-help books on the market due to how action-packed it is.
It is action-packed because of the way it presents its ideal solutions to problems. The reader feels very involved in this process. It makes the reader feel like they have more control over their life by giving them plans and actions. If you’re looking for a habit-building book, this is for you.
How Atomic Habits Help You
Building habits is a difficult task, and Atomic Habits doesn’t let you go through this process alone. Considering bad habits are what cause people to stop reaching for their dreams, Atomic Habits helps everyone kick their harmful mindsets to the curb in favor of healthier ones.
It does this by showing your plan to work on yourself. Instead of feeding you a word sandwich, James Clear makes each concept easy to understand. It’s a practical book, meaning everything you read can be used as practical solutions to your current problems.
These ideas are presented in numerous ways to appeal to every reader’s learning style. Not everyone learns the same. Some people are visual learners, some need complex explanations, and some need a mix of the two. Atomic Habits covers many of these styles.
For example, the book covers both psychology and biology. By tackling these two areas of science, the reader gets to see why certain habits work, and why certain habits don’t work. Thanks to this, anyone can take the words in the book and apply them to real life.
Areas Where Atomic Habits Need Work
Although this self-help book is undoubtedly great for those needing action, there are a few areas that Atomic Habits could improve on. Not every book is perfect, and Atomic Habits has a, well, habit of explaining things in very simplistic ways despite the subject matter.
This may sound like a good thing, but since the concepts are targeted toward an adult audience, at times the book can feel like it’s talking down to the audience. Clear means well with these concepts, but the wording could have been better executed.
Speaking of wording, there are also many instances where the word choice is cliché. There are many metaphors and sentences that feel like something you’ve seen a hundred times, which can make the book feel flimsy at times.
The Compound Effect Summary
One thing Hardy is good at is raising thought-provoking ideas. For example, in The Compound Effect, Hardy proposes there is a difference between studying and learning. Learning is vastly different from studying because learning is knowledge while studying is passion.
The Compound Effect focuses on smaller ideas that build toward a bigger idea you can create yourself. This book focuses more on open interpretation than straight explanations. If you’re looking for a thought-provoking book, The Compound Effect is for you.
What The Compound Effect Teaches You
The best part about this book is how it encourages you to think for yourself. There are many questions raised throughout the chapters that have you pondering if you’re truly living your life the way you want to.
One example of this would be in the classic question: Would you rather have three million dollars in cash instantly or one penny that doubles in value every day for thirty-one days? These types of questions make you think, especially when you realize the second option gets you more profit.
If you’re someone who enjoys metaphors, then this book is great for you. It has plenty of extensive metaphors and concepts that make it targeted to a more mature audience. This isn’t a book anyone can just pick up and read for fun. You have to be in the mood for it.
The Shortcomings Of The Compound Effect
This definitely feels like a book that a certain audience will enjoy. Unlike Atomic Habits, this isn’t a book for everyone. Although that can be a strength, for a self-help book, it’s also a weakness. This book doesn’t appeal to a wide variety of people and learning styles.
Along with that, the more you think about many of the concepts provided, the more you realize you already know them. Like the three million dollars or penny example. The odds are, you’ve heard that question asked at least once in your school years.
When compared to other self-help books, there isn’t much to set this one apart from the others. It isn’t very creative despite the lavish metaphors used to describe concepts. It may not be creative, but it does have a solid foundation. Only, that foundation isn’t suited for everyone.
Conclusion
Overall, Atomic Habits is the better choice for a self-help book. The reason is that it invites the reader to take more action in their lives. It also reaches a wider audience. Atomic Habits is better for people who are looking to be more productive.
The Compound Effect is a solid self-help book that invites the reader to think critically. Although it isn’t much wrong with it, it isn’t on the same level as Atomic Habits. The metaphors can be a bit much at times, and it doesn’t offer much creativity when compared to other self-help books.
