Money at 30: "Atomic Habits" Audiobook Review "Atomic Habits" by James Clear Audiobook Review
Atomic Habits book cover

Money at 30: “Atomic Habits” Audiobook Review

Oftentimes, when I’m looking for a new book to review, I’ll turn to the Amazon/Audible best sellers list to look for finance-related titles. Each time I’ve done this, near the top of the Business & Money is a book called Atomic Habits by James Clear. While I’d resisted this book previously since it didn’t seem to really be that much about personal finance, with the new year upon us, I figured it was a fine time to see what all the fuss was about. So, I downloaded the audiobook and spent my New Year’s weekend pouring through the book’s lessons.

Atomic Habits by James Clear

First, to my surprise, there was a fair amount of personal finance material to be found in the book. This includes some specific budgeting ideas — but mostly some more general mentions of money-related goals that many individuals might have. While I still wouldn’t say that this is a financial book at its core, it is far more relevant than I may have initially anticipated.

While the term “atomic” might lead some to believe that this book will teach them to explode with good habits, the use here refers to the idea of making small changes — like those as tiny as an atom. As Clear points out, while a 1% improvement might not seem like much, this pace puts you on course to be 37 times better in a year. Returning to the financial connection, it’s essentially like compound interest.

That realization itself is pretty powerful, but luckily Clear doesn’t stop there. Instead, he proceeds to go through the four steps of the habit process: cue, craving, response, and reward. In each case, he points out how targeting the steps in the process individually can have a major effect. For example, since a small cue can trigger a new habit, Clear offers some suggestions for making positive habit cues more obvious. On that note, one of the most interesting concepts I learned in the book was creating habit stacks/chains where you insert the start of a new habit you want to create after a habit you already have. I imagine that these types of ideas have been floating in the ether for some time now but they’re new to me — and I found them fascinating.

Like with many audiobooks, Atomic Habits is supplemented by some visual materials that can be found on Clear’s site along with some other bonuses. Personally, I found these PDF extras to be a sufficient replacement for the physical book. Thus, I’d say that those who (like me) consume the book in its audio form are unlikely to miss much versus picking up a paper copy.

If there’s anything negative to say about this book, I’d say that the last couple of chapters were my least favorite. While there were still takeaways to be gained, they didn’t seem to be quite as actionable to me as the preceding chapters. Nevertheless, unlike some books I’ve read that seem to venture off-topic in a bid to fill out the material, I felt as though Clear stayed fairly focused even if those late chapters are a bit less prescriptive in nature.

As for how I’m applying some of the book’s lessons so far, seeing as there were a couple of goals I set for myself this year, I found ways to tie the required steps to some existing habits in my daily routine. Furthermore, I’ve taken to making off the days only on my calendar to catalog my streaks. Admittedly, even with Clear’s tips, it did take some time to figure out exactly how to turn my end goals into a format that would fit the atomic mold. Still, I feel as though what I came up with will prove beneficial.

After reading Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones, I can now see why the book has been so perpetually popular and omnipresent these past few years. Filled with easy-to-understand concepts, examples, and anecdotes, this quick read (or listen, in my case) packs a ton of valuable insights. That said, if you just wanted to sample the book’s ideas and try them on for size, it strikes me that this is the type of book that might translate well to the Blinkist model. But if you want to dive deeper then see how these concepts could help you reach your goals this new year and beyond.

Author

Kyle Burbank

Head Writer ~ Fioney
Kyle is the head writer for Fioney. He is a personal finance nerd, constantly looking for new apps and services to test and incorporate into his own financial game plan. In addition to his role at Fioney, he's written for other publications including Born2Invest, Lifehack, and Laughing Place, as well as his own site Money@30. He also creates personal finance and travel-related videos for Money@30's YouTube channel, which has garnered more than 2 million views. Currently, Kyle resides in Springfield, Missouri with his wife of 10 years. Together, they enjoy traveling (including visiting Disney Parks around the world), dining, and playing with their dog Rigby.

Other Articles by Kyle Burbank

2023 Small Business Credit Card Satisfaction Tops 2019 Highs

The latest small business credit card study from J.D. Power shows satisfaction continuing to rise. About the study and results: This week, J.D Power released its 2023 U.S. Small Business Credit Card Satisfaction Study, which includes responses from more than 3,400 small business credit card customers. In this case, the study looked at businesses with annual revenues between $10,000 and $10 million. First, it was discovered that overall satisfaction among...

Discover Announces 5% Bonus Categories for First Quarter of 2024

With 2024 sneaking up on us, Discover has announced its rotating 5% bonus categories for the first quarter of next year. About the Q1 2024 bonus categories: From January through March 2024, Discover It customers will be able to earn up to 5% back in two categories: restaurants and drugstores. According to the company, the Restaurants category includes full-service establishments, cafes, cafeterias, fast-food locations, and dining delivery services. For the...

Public App Adds Corporate and Treasury Bonds Feature

The FinTech trading app Public has announced new investment options for its members. About the features: Public is now rolling out the ability for customers to invest fractionally in corporate and Treasury bonds. This capability will be introduced on both the mobile and desktop interfaces for the service. According to Public, the addition comes as demand for fixed-income products increases. In addition to these bond types, the app will also...
The "Email" field is empty, you must enter some text to proceed.The text you entered in the "Email" field appears to be invalid, please edit it and try again
Get the Latest News Delivered to Your Inbox

FedEx Announces Winners of 11th Annual 2023 Small Business Grant Contest

Nearly three months after the entry period ended, FedEx has announced the winners of its 11th annual Small Business Grant Content. This year's event saw more than $300,000 in funds going to a variety of small businesses across the nation. Last month, the company revealed 100 finalists, with that list now being narrowed down to just 10 winners. This year's grand prize winners included KindVR, The Cupcake Collection, Up In...
Summer app

Student Loan Benefit FinTech Summer Raises $6 Million

For years, student debt has been one of the most talked about financial topics. What's more, while the debt itself has become a major part of many Americans' lives, discussion of student loans has become political due to efforts to forgive certain loan repayments. However, while we wait for resolution on that front, a FinTech that brings student debt benefit solutions to employers and consumers has raised a new round...
H-E-B and Central Market  credit cards

Imprint Launches Credit Cards from H-E-B and Central Market 

The FinTech Imprint is partnering with the popular Texas-based grocery chain H-E-B for a pair of new rewards credit cards. This week saw the launch of the H-E-B Visa Signature Credit Card as well as the Central Market Visa Signature Credit Card. With these two (nearly identical) options, customers will be able to earn rewards on groceries and beyond. First, both versions of the card earn up to 5% back on select...
Melissa Urban holding a Ness card

Health and Wellness Rewards Card Ness Partners with Whole30

In recent years, several unique rewards cards have come to market. These include offerings from FinTech startups as well as brands looking to do something special for their loyal fans. On that note, a recently-announced rewards credit card offering is now working with a popular brand to introduce new benefits for customers. This week, the Ness Card (which is issued by The Bank of Missouri) unveiled a new partnership with...
Choice Privileges Select Card

Choice Hotels, Wells Fargo Debut Choice Privileges Select Card

With spring well underway and the summer travel season now just around the corner, Choice Hotels and Wells Fargo have unveiled their latest co-branded credit card offering. Today, the two companies announced the Choice Privileges Select Mastercard. Carrying an annual fee of $95, this card will serve as the premium option in the hotel brand's new lineup. Looking at the Choice Privileges Select, it offers a mix of rewards categories....