As team members within the world of Andersen, we all experienced an environment that has long valued training, methodology, and excellence.
As another year begins, this is a great time to start strong. One of the most effective ways to do that is by taking a closer look at our habits.
Over the years, many thoughtful books have explored how habits are formed, sustained, and strengthened. The topics covered in them are not necessarily MECE (Mutually Exclusive, Collectively Exhaustive) but they do have many merits!
Here are four that continue to stand out for many of us (with links to more information about each):
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, by Stephen Covey (1989)
This is arguably the most influential book on habits of the past several decades. Covey offers a values-based framework that remains remarkably durable, consisting of these pillars: 1) Be proactive, 2) Begin with the end in mind, 3) Put first things first, 4) Think win-win, 5) Seek first to understand, then to be understood, 6) Synergize, and 7) Sharpen the saw.
The Power of Habit, by Charles Duhigg (2012)
This book offers a practical look at how habits actually work, from cue to routine to reward. Duhigg helps explain why habits stick and what it takes to change them sustainably.
Grit, by Angela Duckworth (2016)
Often framed as a book about success and resilience, Grit is also a study of long-term habit formation. Duckworth’s blend of passion and perseverance shows how consistent behaviors compound over time.
Atomic Habits, by James Clear (2018)
In this modern classic, Clear focuses on how small, incremental changes build into powerful results, offering actionable insight into how habits evolve and can reshape identity over time. He emphasizes the habit loop of cue, craving, response, and reward, along with the idea of getting 1 percent better every day as a driver of transformative change.
Whether it’s a book or a single well-chosen article, starting the year by learning more about how habits form can pay dividends all year long.
Here’s a simple way to apply learnings from these books, other research, and your own perspectives:
- Pick one habit
- Make it small enough to do daily
- Track it for 30 days
There are, of course, many other excellent books on this topic, and I welcome further recommendations.
Whether you pick up a book, revisit a familiar framework, or simply reflect on your daily routines, this is a great time to recommit to continuous improvement through intentional, sustainable habits. And as you do that, please consider reflecting on a prior trip to St. Charles or other training centers, where you learned something of lasting value.
Happy New Year!