1 01:00:00,500 --> 01:00:03,166 Good morning and welcome 2 01:00:03,166 --> 01:00:04,708 to your morning cereal. 3 01:00:08,750 --> 01:00:09,791 Okay, good morning 4 01:00:09,791 --> 01:00:11,250 and welcome to Thursday. 5 01:00:11,708 --> 01:00:12,791 Stay strong. 6 01:00:13,083 --> 01:00:14,791 We are almost a Friday people. 7 01:00:15,083 --> 01:00:15,958 Helping you through 8 01:00:15,958 --> 01:00:17,250 the day today, however, 9 01:00:17,416 --> 01:00:19,166 is the fact that today is 10 01:00:19,166 --> 01:00:21,541 national, let's laugh day, right? 11 01:00:21,541 --> 01:00:22,625 Which just might be 12 01:00:22,625 --> 01:00:24,000 the easiest national day 13 01:00:24,000 --> 01:00:25,000 there is to celebrate. 14 01:00:25,458 --> 01:00:27,458 There are no decorations required, 15 01:00:27,625 --> 01:00:29,666 no complicated recipes or hard 16 01:00:29,666 --> 01:00:30,875 discussions to have. 17 01:00:30,875 --> 01:00:32,500 It's just a reminder that 18 01:00:32,500 --> 01:00:34,041 sometimes the best therapy 19 01:00:34,541 --> 01:00:35,916 is a good laugh and that 20 01:00:35,916 --> 01:00:37,458 one friend who sends you 21 01:00:37,458 --> 01:00:38,625 the right memes at 22 01:00:38,625 --> 01:00:40,000 exactly the right moment. 23 01:00:40,666 --> 01:00:41,166 All right, well, 24 01:00:41,166 --> 01:00:42,750 before we get rolling today, 25 01:00:42,750 --> 01:00:43,916 the answer to yesterday's trivia 26 01:00:43,916 --> 01:00:45,500 question, the mayas, 27 01:00:45,833 --> 01:00:47,583 the Maya civilization built 28 01:00:47,583 --> 01:00:49,166 the kitchen, it's a pyramid. 29 01:00:49,708 --> 01:00:50,625 And now it's time for 30 01:00:50,625 --> 01:00:51,333 the essential vitamins 31 01:00:51,333 --> 01:00:52,666 in your morning cereal. 32 01:00:52,791 --> 01:00:54,000 It's today's quote and 33 01:00:54,000 --> 01:00:55,833 it's from birthday boy, 34 01:00:56,166 --> 01:00:58,666 Bruce Willis turning 71 35 01:00:58,666 --> 01:01:00,541 today who once said, quote, 36 01:01:01,000 --> 01:01:02,666 "Don't worry about falling down, 37 01:01:03,166 --> 01:01:04,333 worry about not 38 01:01:04,333 --> 01:01:05,875 getting back up," end quote. 39 01:01:06,500 --> 01:01:07,291 Now here's your morning 40 01:01:07,291 --> 01:01:10,166 decode, failure is not final. 41 01:01:10,500 --> 01:01:13,291 The fall itself does not define you, 42 01:01:13,583 --> 01:01:15,583 your response to it does. 43 01:01:16,000 --> 01:01:17,041 All right, well, let's go 44 01:01:17,041 --> 01:01:17,958 ahead and hear from the experts. 45 01:01:18,250 --> 01:01:20,250 Now it is time to pour in some atomic 46 01:01:20,250 --> 01:01:22,291 habits by James Clear. 47 01:01:22,583 --> 01:01:23,541 And today's review 48 01:01:23,541 --> 01:01:25,500 begins chapter number two. 49 01:01:25,916 --> 01:01:27,458 How your habits shape 50 01:01:27,458 --> 01:01:29,416 your identity and vice versa. 51 01:01:29,916 --> 01:01:31,416 So, Clear introduces one 52 01:01:31,416 --> 01:01:32,500 of the most powerful ideas 53 01:01:32,500 --> 01:01:33,625 in the entire book here. 54 01:01:34,208 --> 01:01:36,708 Lasting change happens when habits become 55 01:01:36,708 --> 01:01:39,250 part of your identity, right? 56 01:01:39,416 --> 01:01:40,416 Most people focus on 57 01:01:40,416 --> 01:01:41,583 outcome-based habits. 58 01:01:41,583 --> 01:01:42,958 For example, I wanna lose weight, 59 01:01:42,958 --> 01:01:43,458 I wanna run a 60 01:01:43,458 --> 01:01:44,625 marathon, I wanna write a book. 61 01:01:45,083 --> 01:01:46,166 But Clear explains 62 01:01:46,166 --> 01:01:47,250 that real transformation 63 01:01:47,250 --> 01:01:49,500 comes from identity-based habits. 64 01:01:49,916 --> 01:01:50,833 Instead of saying, I 65 01:01:50,833 --> 01:01:51,875 want to run a marathon, 66 01:01:53,041 --> 01:01:54,375 I am a runner. 67 01:01:54,958 --> 01:01:56,458 The behavior shifts from something 68 01:01:56,458 --> 01:01:57,791 that you're trying to achieve 69 01:01:57,791 --> 01:02:00,541 into something that reflects who you are. 70 01:02:01,041 --> 01:02:02,041 Clear writes this, quote, 71 01:02:02,208 --> 01:02:04,291 "The goal is not to read a book, 72 01:02:04,291 --> 01:02:05,333 the goal is to become 73 01:02:05,333 --> 01:02:06,666 a reader," end quote. 74 01:02:07,166 --> 01:02:09,500 So this shift might seem small, 75 01:02:09,500 --> 01:02:11,208 but psychologically it's enormous. 76 01:02:11,708 --> 01:02:13,833 When a habit aligns with your identity, 77 01:02:14,291 --> 01:02:16,541 you're far more likely to stick with it. 78 01:02:16,958 --> 01:02:19,125 Every action you take becomes a vote 79 01:02:19,125 --> 01:02:20,416 for that type of person 80 01:02:20,416 --> 01:02:21,458 that you want to become. 81 01:02:22,250 --> 01:02:23,250 Clear explains that 82 01:02:23,250 --> 01:02:24,750 identities are essentially built 83 01:02:24,875 --> 01:02:26,583 from repeated evidence. 84 01:02:27,166 --> 01:02:28,625 Each time you perform a behavior, 85 01:02:29,083 --> 01:02:31,458 you reinforce the belief about yourself. 86 01:02:32,083 --> 01:02:32,958 Clear writes this, quote, 87 01:02:33,083 --> 01:02:34,916 "Every action you take is a vote 88 01:02:34,916 --> 01:02:36,666 for the type of person you 89 01:02:36,666 --> 01:02:38,250 wish to become," end quote. 90 01:02:38,250 --> 01:02:39,583 Now I know he repeats that a lot, 91 01:02:39,791 --> 01:02:41,833 but I think it makes a lot of sense too. 92 01:02:42,583 --> 01:02:44,375 So again, if you write regularly, 93 01:02:44,625 --> 01:02:46,375 you start seeing yourself as a writer. 94 01:02:46,375 --> 01:02:47,666 If you exercise regularly, 95 01:02:48,166 --> 01:02:49,333 you start seeing yourself as 96 01:02:49,333 --> 01:02:50,708 someone who values fitness. 97 01:02:51,250 --> 01:02:53,750 But the opposite is also true, remember. 98 01:02:54,375 --> 01:02:55,166 Repeated negative 99 01:02:55,166 --> 01:02:57,000 behaviors reinforce identities 100 01:02:57,125 --> 01:02:59,041 we don't necessarily want. 101 01:02:59,583 --> 01:03:01,125 And Clear also 102 01:03:01,125 --> 01:03:03,250 emphasizes that identity change, 103 01:03:03,708 --> 01:03:05,500 it definitely doesn't happen overnight. 104 01:03:05,958 --> 01:03:07,250 It happens gradually, 105 01:03:07,250 --> 01:03:09,583 as small actions start to accumulate. 106 01:03:10,250 --> 01:03:11,458 Each habit is like a 107 01:03:11,458 --> 01:03:12,791 tiny piece of evidence 108 01:03:13,125 --> 01:03:14,875 that shapes how you see yourself. 109 01:03:15,333 --> 01:03:16,833 The powerful insight here 110 01:03:17,250 --> 01:03:18,125 is that when people 111 01:03:18,125 --> 01:03:19,708 focus only on outcome, 112 01:03:20,375 --> 01:03:21,875 habits can feel like chores. 113 01:03:22,500 --> 01:03:24,875 But when habits reinforce your identity, 114 01:03:25,375 --> 01:03:27,291 they feel meaningful, all right? 115 01:03:27,583 --> 01:03:28,333 Eventually the 116 01:03:28,333 --> 01:03:30,000 behavior, it becomes natural 117 01:03:30,041 --> 01:03:31,000 because it reflects 118 01:03:31,000 --> 01:03:32,875 who you believe you are. 119 01:03:33,208 --> 01:03:34,833 And Clear ends this section by 120 01:03:34,833 --> 01:03:35,833 introducing the idea 121 01:03:35,833 --> 01:03:37,041 that identity change 122 01:03:37,041 --> 01:03:39,458 follows a two-step process, 123 01:03:39,666 --> 01:03:40,750 which we will explore in 124 01:03:40,750 --> 01:03:42,041 the next episode tomorrow. 125 01:03:42,458 --> 01:03:45,000 But for today, your Thursday takeaway is, 126 01:03:45,375 --> 01:03:47,250 focus on becoming the type of person 127 01:03:47,625 --> 01:03:48,458 who naturally 128 01:03:48,458 --> 01:03:50,416 performs the habits you want. 129 01:03:51,000 --> 01:03:53,250 All right, friends, laugh a little today. 130 01:03:53,625 --> 01:03:55,250 Keep casting those identity votes. 131 01:03:55,458 --> 01:03:57,583 And remember, every small habit 132 01:03:57,750 --> 01:03:59,083 is quietly shaping the 133 01:03:59,083 --> 01:04:00,166 person that you become. 134 01:04:00,833 --> 01:04:01,833 All right, now it's time for the prize 135 01:04:01,833 --> 01:04:03,166 from the bottom of the cereal box, 136 01:04:03,500 --> 01:04:04,291 the morning cereal 137 01:04:04,291 --> 01:04:05,541 trivia question of the day. 138 01:04:06,208 --> 01:04:07,666 What country has won the 139 01:04:07,666 --> 01:04:10,000 most Olympic gold medals? 140 01:04:10,833 --> 01:04:11,750 All right, thanks for listening to 141 01:04:11,750 --> 01:04:12,500 morning cereal today. 142 01:04:12,750 --> 01:04:14,125 We will see you back here tomorrow 143 01:04:14,125 --> 01:04:15,500 for the answer to the trivia question 144 01:04:16,041 --> 01:04:17,875 and for more sugar for your soul. 145 01:04:18,166 --> 01:04:21,041 And until then, have a fantastic day. 146 01:04:22,250 --> 01:04:23,833 Don't forget to follow and subscribe 147 01:04:23,833 --> 01:04:25,333 to the morning cereal podcast 148 01:04:25,333 --> 01:04:27,291 on the One Life Live It channel. 149 01:04:27,791 --> 01:04:29,500 You can find more episodes and videos 150 01:04:29,500 --> 01:04:30,958 by visiting our YouTube channel 151 01:04:31,125 --> 01:04:32,250 and the website at 152 01:04:32,250 --> 01:04:34,833 seaningless and at seaningless.com, 153 01:04:35,083 --> 01:04:35,916 where you can also 154 01:04:35,916 --> 01:04:37,375 follow our other podcast, 155 01:04:37,666 --> 01:04:38,916 the Mr. and Mrs. English podcast 156 01:04:39,375 --> 01:04:40,583 and the Life Happens podcast. 157 01:04:41,375 --> 01:04:43,500 And these other podcasts will dive deeper 158 01:04:43,625 --> 01:04:44,458 into everyday issues, 159 01:04:44,666 --> 01:04:45,833 self-improvement and wellbeing, 160 01:04:46,208 --> 01:04:48,000 business and finance, and we 161 01:04:48,000 --> 01:04:49,291 welcome special guests too. 162 01:04:49,791 --> 01:04:50,708 So join us, it will be 163 01:04:50,708 --> 01:04:51,791 a good time, I promise. 164 01:04:52,500 --> 01:04:53,583 Thanks again for listening. 165 01:04:53,583 --> 01:04:55,166 Have a fantastic day and 166 01:04:55,166 --> 01:04:55,708 we'll see you tomorrow.