1 01:00:00,125 --> 01:00:02,750 Good morning and 2 01:00:02,750 --> 01:00:04,625 welcome to Morning Syria. 3 01:00:08,791 --> 01:00:09,750 All right, good morning 4 01:00:09,750 --> 01:00:11,375 and welcome to Monday. 5 01:00:11,583 --> 01:00:13,791 I hope you had a great weekend. 6 01:00:14,291 --> 01:00:16,208 We are in the midst of 7 01:00:16,208 --> 01:00:18,333 March Madness territory now. 8 01:00:18,750 --> 01:00:20,125 So I hope your team 9 01:00:20,125 --> 01:00:21,375 did well over the weekend 10 01:00:21,375 --> 01:00:24,083 or at least they made it a game, right? 11 01:00:24,083 --> 01:00:25,208 I know I'm cheering on my 12 01:00:25,208 --> 01:00:26,500 team, Rock Talk Jayhawk, 13 01:00:26,625 --> 01:00:29,125 but either way, we are ready to face 14 01:00:29,125 --> 01:00:30,625 another week head on. 15 01:00:30,916 --> 01:00:33,291 All right, today is Commonwealth Day, 16 01:00:33,500 --> 01:00:34,666 which is a day observed 17 01:00:34,666 --> 01:00:36,500 by the 56 member nations 18 01:00:36,500 --> 01:00:37,125 of the British 19 01:00:37,125 --> 01:00:39,541 Commonwealth to celebrate unity, 20 01:00:39,666 --> 01:00:41,958 cooperation and a shared history. 21 01:00:42,416 --> 01:00:43,916 All right, well, the answer 22 01:00:43,916 --> 01:00:46,333 to Friday's trivia question, oysters. 23 01:00:47,041 --> 01:00:47,958 Edible creatures, 24 01:00:48,625 --> 01:00:52,208 Malpeche's, Kumamoto's and Bailon's 25 01:00:52,208 --> 01:00:53,125 are oysters. 26 01:00:53,666 --> 01:00:55,458 All right, and I may have said that wrong 27 01:00:55,500 --> 01:00:56,583 so nobody knew what it was anyways. 28 01:00:57,250 --> 01:00:58,625 Well, now it's time for 29 01:00:58,625 --> 01:00:59,541 the essential vitamins 30 01:00:59,541 --> 01:01:00,833 in your morning cereal. 31 01:01:00,916 --> 01:01:02,333 Today's quote, and it 32 01:01:02,333 --> 01:01:03,416 is from birthday boy 33 01:01:03,541 --> 01:01:05,125 turning just 47 years 34 01:01:05,125 --> 01:01:07,333 old today, Oscar Isaac, 35 01:01:07,333 --> 01:01:09,583 who said, quote, "If you're not nervous, 36 01:01:09,583 --> 01:01:11,083 it means you don't care." 37 01:01:11,375 --> 01:01:11,750 End quote. 38 01:01:12,125 --> 01:01:14,333 Your morning decode, nervousness, 39 01:01:14,333 --> 01:01:17,000 it's a sign of passion, of high stakes 40 01:01:17,208 --> 01:01:18,791 and caring deeply about 41 01:01:18,791 --> 01:01:20,000 the outcome of some event 42 01:01:20,000 --> 01:01:21,083 like a performance, an 43 01:01:21,083 --> 01:01:22,583 interview or a competition. 44 01:01:23,375 --> 01:01:24,833 All right, well, let's go ahead and hear 45 01:01:24,833 --> 01:01:26,291 from the experts now. 46 01:01:26,291 --> 01:01:28,083 And today we are opening 47 01:01:28,083 --> 01:01:29,833 a brand new cereal box. 48 01:01:30,291 --> 01:01:31,958 We're pouring in "Atomic 49 01:01:31,958 --> 01:01:34,041 Habits" by James Clear. 50 01:01:34,416 --> 01:01:35,833 Now James Clear is a 51 01:01:35,833 --> 01:01:37,208 bestselling author, speaker 52 01:01:37,458 --> 01:01:39,250 and a habit expert whose 53 01:01:39,250 --> 01:01:40,375 book, this one right here 54 01:01:40,375 --> 01:01:43,000 has sold over 15 million copies worldwide 55 01:01:43,500 --> 01:01:44,375 and remained on 56 01:01:44,375 --> 01:01:46,125 bestseller lists for years. 57 01:01:46,541 --> 01:01:47,583 It has won multiple 58 01:01:47,583 --> 01:01:49,083 awards, including recognition 59 01:01:49,291 --> 01:01:51,291 from major business and 60 01:01:51,291 --> 01:01:52,958 self-development publications. 61 01:01:53,625 --> 01:01:54,625 Clear's background, 62 01:01:54,625 --> 01:01:56,041 however, isn't flashy, 63 01:01:56,500 --> 01:01:58,625 which is exactly the point here. 64 01:01:59,041 --> 01:02:00,000 After a serious 65 01:02:00,000 --> 01:02:01,583 baseball injury in college, 66 01:02:02,000 --> 01:02:03,500 he became fascinated by 67 01:02:03,500 --> 01:02:05,250 incremental improvement. 68 01:02:05,583 --> 01:02:06,500 He began writing about 69 01:02:06,500 --> 01:02:08,000 small behavioral changes 70 01:02:08,541 --> 01:02:11,000 and those essays, they eventually evolved 71 01:02:11,208 --> 01:02:12,333 into "Atomic Habits." 72 01:02:12,875 --> 01:02:15,500 Well, the premise is deceptively simple. 73 01:02:16,041 --> 01:02:18,416 Tiny habits repeated consistently produce 74 01:02:18,750 --> 01:02:20,000 remarkable results. 75 01:02:20,666 --> 01:02:21,458 Clear writes this quote, 76 01:02:21,833 --> 01:02:22,958 "Habits are the compound 77 01:02:22,958 --> 01:02:24,833 interest of self-improvement." 78 01:02:25,541 --> 01:02:28,375 Meaning small daily gains, 1% better. 79 01:02:28,708 --> 01:02:31,125 Those add up dramatically over time. 80 01:02:31,583 --> 01:02:33,250 So he's challenging the traditional 81 01:02:33,250 --> 01:02:34,416 obsession with goals 82 01:02:34,791 --> 01:02:36,750 saying, "You do not rise 83 01:02:36,750 --> 01:02:37,958 to the level of your goals. 84 01:02:38,333 --> 01:02:40,541 You fall to the level of your systems." 85 01:02:41,375 --> 01:02:43,208 Now that line alone has shifted 86 01:02:43,333 --> 01:02:45,208 how millions approach productivity. 87 01:02:45,833 --> 01:02:46,750 And this book isn't 88 01:02:46,750 --> 01:02:48,458 about motivational spikes. 89 01:02:48,500 --> 01:02:50,750 It's about systems, identity, 90 01:02:51,291 --> 01:02:53,083 environment, behavioral loops. 91 01:02:53,583 --> 01:02:56,041 Now, Clear argues that lasting change 92 01:02:56,208 --> 01:02:57,500 comes from focusing on 93 01:02:57,500 --> 01:02:59,041 who you want to become, 94 01:02:59,750 --> 01:03:01,583 not just what you want to achieve. 95 01:03:01,916 --> 01:03:04,625 Saying, "Every action you take is a vote 96 01:03:04,625 --> 01:03:06,041 for the type of person 97 01:03:06,041 --> 01:03:07,583 that you wish to become." 98 01:03:08,791 --> 01:03:10,166 So instead of the, "I 99 01:03:10,166 --> 01:03:11,375 want to run a marathon," 100 01:03:11,375 --> 01:03:13,208 you become, "I am a runner." 101 01:03:13,291 --> 01:03:15,083 Instead of, "I want to read more," 102 01:03:15,083 --> 01:03:16,916 you become, "I am a reader." 103 01:03:17,125 --> 01:03:17,541 See that? 104 01:03:18,041 --> 01:03:19,041 Now, the brilliance of 105 01:03:19,041 --> 01:03:21,500 atomic habits is its practicality. 106 01:03:21,833 --> 01:03:22,833 It's no hype, it's no 107 01:03:22,833 --> 01:03:24,125 shouting, it's just structured. 108 01:03:24,791 --> 01:03:25,500 Research back 109 01:03:25,500 --> 01:03:27,583 strategies for small improvement. 110 01:03:28,125 --> 01:03:29,625 And as we begin this book together, 111 01:03:30,166 --> 01:03:31,875 expect actionable steps. 112 01:03:32,208 --> 01:03:34,166 Expect mindset shifts. 113 01:03:34,541 --> 01:03:36,750 And expect some uncomfortable honesty 114 01:03:36,750 --> 01:03:38,291 about where your systems 115 01:03:38,291 --> 01:03:40,875 may be quietly sabotaging you. 116 01:03:41,250 --> 01:03:44,125 All right, your Monday takeaway is focus 117 01:03:44,125 --> 01:03:45,500 on tiny improvements 118 01:03:46,000 --> 01:03:47,250 and build systems that 119 01:03:47,250 --> 01:03:48,916 make success inevitable. 120 01:03:49,625 --> 01:03:51,958 So today, I know it's Monday, build 121 01:03:51,958 --> 01:03:53,166 something small today. 122 01:03:53,166 --> 01:03:55,708 That compounds tomorrow, all right? 123 01:03:56,000 --> 01:03:56,916 Now get out there and 124 01:03:56,916 --> 01:03:58,541 attack this week with systems, 125 01:03:58,541 --> 01:04:01,250 not just goals, but first, the prize 126 01:04:01,250 --> 01:04:02,916 from the bottom of the cereal box, 127 01:04:02,916 --> 01:04:03,541 the morning cereal 128 01:04:03,541 --> 01:04:05,125 trivia question of the day. 129 01:04:05,583 --> 01:04:06,166 Here it is. 130 01:04:06,666 --> 01:04:08,208 What year did the modern 131 01:04:08,208 --> 01:04:10,166 Olympic Games first take place? 132 01:04:10,750 --> 01:04:12,333 All right, well, thanks for listening 133 01:04:12,333 --> 01:04:13,500 to morning cereal today. 134 01:04:13,500 --> 01:04:15,041 We will see you back here tomorrow 135 01:04:15,250 --> 01:04:16,666 for the answer to the trivia question 136 01:04:17,208 --> 01:04:18,958 and for more sugar for the soul. 137 01:04:19,250 --> 01:04:22,000 And until then, have a fantastic day. 138 01:04:23,125 --> 01:04:24,666 Don't forget to follow and subscribe 139 01:04:24,666 --> 01:04:26,208 to the morning cereal podcast 140 01:04:26,458 --> 01:04:28,166 on the One Life Live It channel. 141 01:04:28,708 --> 01:04:30,375 You can find more episodes and videos 142 01:04:30,375 --> 01:04:31,833 by visiting our YouTube channel 143 01:04:32,000 --> 01:04:33,166 and the website at 144 01:04:33,166 --> 01:04:35,833 seaningless and at seaningless.com, 145 01:04:36,083 --> 01:04:36,791 where you can also 146 01:04:36,791 --> 01:04:38,208 follow our other podcast, 147 01:04:38,541 --> 01:04:39,750 the Mr. and Mrs. English podcast 148 01:04:40,291 --> 01:04:41,458 and the Life Happens podcast. 149 01:04:42,250 --> 01:04:42,708 In these other 150 01:04:42,708 --> 01:04:44,333 podcasts, we'll dive deeper 151 01:04:44,500 --> 01:04:45,333 into everyday issues, 152 01:04:45,583 --> 01:04:46,708 self-improvement and wellbeing, 153 01:04:47,083 --> 01:04:48,875 business and finance, and we 154 01:04:48,875 --> 01:04:50,125 welcome special guests too. 155 01:04:50,625 --> 01:04:51,375 So join us. 156 01:04:51,375 --> 01:04:52,708 It'll be a good time, I promise. 157 01:04:53,416 --> 01:04:54,500 Thanks again for listening. 158 01:04:54,500 --> 01:04:56,041 Have a fantastic day and 159 01:04:56,041 --> 01:04:56,583 we'll see you tomorrow.