More and more, I’m learning that in order to pursue any calling with excellence, we must develop good habits that can carry us through the mess and busyness of life. I used to think routines were boring and constricting. But no. Routines hold us up when motivation and willpower fail. Habits are powerful allies that can do a lot of the heavy lifting for us if only we will help them get established.

This year, I want to start a new habit. But, I want it to stick. Therefore, I’ve spent some time reading through some articles by James Clear about habit change, pulled from his book Atomic Habits, and thinking about how I can set myself up for success. This post lays out the major takeaways.