Hi, I’m James Clear. I’ve been writing at jamesclear.com since 2012. I’m the author of the New York Times bestseller, Atomic Habits, which has sold more than 1 million copies worldwide. I'm also known for my popular 3-2-1 newsletter, which is sent out each week. Click here to learn more and sign up.
The central question I explore through my work is, “How can we live better?” I want to find great ideas and make them actionable.
My writing focuses on topics like…
Most of all, I write about how to put these ideas into practice in daily life.
Most of the concepts I write about aren’t my own. They are ideas I discover and build upon after many hours of reading and research. I look for insights from all fields: architecture, biology, economics, history, mathematics, physics, philosophy, and more. I consider it my job to find the best ideas and explain them in a way that is actionable and easy-to-understand.
Humankind progresses by adding layer upon layer of knowledge. We all benefit from the insights of our ancestors. I like the idea of leaving a great “intellectual inheritance,” and I’m trying to add a little bit of knowledge to the pile by creating this website and sharing my work.
I don't claim to have all the answers and I still have a lot to learn, but I'm happy to share what I've discovered so far. My work isn’t the only way to think about life, but it’s how I think about it. Hopefully, you’ll find it useful as well.
You can start by reading my articles or check out my books.
Here are a few notable things about me…
Author of the international bestselling book, Atomic Habits.
Creator of jamesclear.com and the popular 3-2-1 weekly newsletter.
Speaker at major companies and events.
Weightlifter and (former) athlete.
Contributor to Against Malaria Foundation (AMF).
Contributor to Against Malaria Foundation (AMF).
Things that fascinate me, but that I typically don't write about include…
Architecture. I love thoughtful, well-designed buildings. Specifically, I enjoy layouts that blend nature with beautiful and functional homes and urban spaces.
Book recommendations. It's basically my job to read. After years of research, I created my personal reading list with favorites from a wide-range of categories including the best business books, best self-help books, best biographies, and more.
Great speeches. As a side project, I like to search for insightful speeches that are not well known. Whenever I find a gem, I create a transcript and add it to my list of great speeches. To the best of my knowledge, this is the only place on the web where you can find all of these amazing speeches in one place.
Peak athletic performances. Lezak’s comeback. Secretariat’s Belmont. Auburn's Kick Six (and the local radio call). Usain Bolt's 100m dash in Beijing. Vince Young against USC. Tiger's 2000 US Open. Cardale’s historic 3-game run. Go Bucks.
Restaurant recommendations. Finding incredible restaurants while traveling is one of my favorite things to do. I keep a spreadsheet of my favorite spots.
Travel Photography. I've taken photos in more than 40 countries and I've loved every minute of it. I have many favorite places, including Australia, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Norway, Portugal, and Turkey. Through photography, I have come to appreciate great composition. I love the hidden beauty of Steve McCurry's photos and the brilliance of Every Frame a Painting.
Ultralight travel. For some reason, I enjoy geeking out about travel bags. I publish a list of my favorite travel gear with detailed explanations for how I travel with one backpack and why I pack each piece of gear.
The primary place that I share my work is through my weekly newsletter. It's free and over 650,000 people subscribe. No spam. Nothing annoying or unexpected.
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