Best Ways to Build Better Habits & Break Bad Ones | James Clear
James Clear is an expert on behavioral change and habits and the author of the bestselling book Atomic Habits.
January 5, 2026
2 hr 35 min
262
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Episode 262 · January 5, 2026
Best Ways to Build Better Habits & Break Bad Ones | James Clear
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Best Ways to Build Better Habits & Break Bad Ones | James Clear
Summary
James Clear is an expert on behavioral change and habits and the author of the bestselling book Atomic Habits. We discuss the best ways to build new healthy habits and end bad ones without relying on motivation or willpower. Rather than list off categories of tools or acronyms, James explains how anchoring the changes you want to make in your identity and physical environment allows you to make desired changes quickly and ones that stick. Whether your goal is better fitness and physical health, productivity or mental health, you'll learn actionable, zero-cost protocols to build powerful and meaningful habits.
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Function: https://functionhealth.com/huberman
Timestamps
(00:00:00) James Clear
(00:01:10) Atomic Habits
(00:02:57) Common Habits, Tool: Habit Success & Getting Started
(00:06:16) Make Starting a Habit Easier, Tool: 4 Laws of Behavior Change
(00:10:18) Sponsors: Lingo & Wealthfront
(00:13:26) Writing Habits, Seasons & Flexibility; Adaptability, Tool: Bad Day Plan
(00:18:42) Consistency, Flow vs Grind, Master Showing Up, Learning & Practice
(00:24:54) Chunking, Getting Started at Gym
(00:28:01) Flow Don’t Fight, Dissatisfaction & Effort, Tool: Identity-Based Habits
(00:34:10) Friction, Competition & Effort; Credentials
(00:39:38) Make Effort Rewarding, Mindset, Tools: Previsualization, Emphasize Positives
(00:45:59) Sponsors: AG1 & Joovv
(00:48:56) Reflection & Learning, Tool: Self-Testing; Perfectionism, Tool: Curiosity
(00:55:18) Striving vs Relaxation, Balance, Tool: Turn On/Off; Hiking, Nature Reset
(01:04:20) Identity & Professional Pursuits; Choosing New Projects; Clinging to Identity
(01:14:24) Sponsor: Eight Sleep
(01:15:42) Criticism; Identity & Growth
(01:21:47) Failure, Identity, Sports, Tool: Rebounding & Reaching; Public Failures
(01:30:03) Daily Habits, Tools: Day in Quarters; Never Miss Twice; Meal Timing
(01:38:22) Daily Habit Timing & Sequencing, Tool: Mindfully Choose Inputs
(01:45:37) Creativity, Specialization vs Generalization; Books
(01:51:31) Sponsor: Function
(01:53:18) Habits & Context, Environmental Cues, Tools for Minimizing Phone Use
(02:02:01) Bad Habits, Checking Phone, Tools for Breaking Bad Habits