Book SummaryBadass Habits, by Jen Sincero

1-Page Summary1-Page Book Summary of Badass Habits

If you’re like most of us, you’ve probably tried to change your habits before and failed. You also probably believe those failures happened because you lack willpower. However, self-help expert Jen Sincero says the real problem is that you’re too focused on what you’re doing, rather than who you’re being. In Badass Habits (2020), Sincero argues that building better habits starts by changing how you perceive yourself. She then teaches you how to create the identity—and, in turn, the lifestyle—that you really want.

Sincero is a life coach, motivational speaker, and best-selling author who has spent decades helping people change their lives for the better. She’s best known for her You Are a Badass series...

Badass Habits Summary What Are Habits?

Before you start the work of changing your habits, it will be helpful to have a clear definition of what a habit actually is. Sincero defines a habit as a routine, action, or behavior you engage in repeatedly and more or less automatically. These repeated behaviors can be helpful or harmful: For instance, many people have the good habit of checking for their keys, wallet, and phone before leaving the house. On the other hand, some people have the bad habit of setting those things down wherever happens to be convenient, then forgetting where they are.

(Shortform note: Sincero describes what habits are, but not why we have them. In Free to Focus, Michael Hyatt explains that we have limited mental resources (problem-solving ability and willpower) to get us through each day, and therefore it’s important to use those resources as efficiently as possible. Habits are one way for the brain to reduce its burden. Automating as many of our behaviors as possible lessens the need for conscious thought and...

Badass Habits Summary Practical Strategies to Change Your Habits

Sincero recognizes that the idea of changing your self-image and habits probably seems overwhelming. To help you stay motivated and focused, she presents a 21 day plan—each day introduces one new practice to reinforce your new identity and behavior. She urges you to take things one day at a time, and by the end of three weeks, you’ll have a new habit firmly entrenched in your life.

(Shortform note: Sincero’s 21 day plan is based on the popular idea that it takes 21 days to form a new habit—an idea that seems to have originated in the 1960s. More recent research has found that the timeframe for habit formation varies widely depending on the person and the activity: anywhere from 18 days to more than 250, with the average at about 66 days. Since there’s little scientific consensus on a system or plan to build habits, the main advice researchers agree on is to repeat the desired behavior as often as possible until it becomes habitual, however long that takes.)

Let’s dive deeper into the unifying themes behind the practices in...

Badass Habits Summary Psychological Strategies to Change Your Habits

We’ve discussed practical strategies for changing your life, but successfully making big changes is just as much of a psychological challenge as it is a practical one. Therefore, we’ll now discuss four strategies you can use to cultivate the mindset and thought patterns you’ll need to become your best self:

1. Give yourself an empowering mantra.
2. Refuse to negotiate or compromise on your new habits.
3. Be compassionate with yourself.
4. Let the changes happen naturally; don’t rush the process.

Psychological Strategy #1: Create a Mantra

One of Sincero’s psychologically-based strategies is to create a mantra: a short, simple statement that you repeat over and over until it becomes part of your typical thought patterns.

To use this strategy effectively, she says you should identify specific ideas or beliefs that are holding you back, then craft a statement to directly counter those self-imposed roadblocks. It must also evoke genuine emotion—a mantra is most effective when it resonates powerfully enough to override your habitual thoughts about yourself. For example, if you’re trying to become less shy and more outgoing, your mantra might be “I’m friendly, I’m...

Shortform Exercise: Become Who You Want to Be

You’ve read about Sincero’s identity-based approach to habits, as well as some practical and psychological strategies to build the habits you want to have. Now, take some time to consider how you might apply those principles to your own habits and start creating your ideal self.

Identify one aspect of your ideal self that you haven’t achieved yet. This should be a part of the identity you want to create, rather than a specific goal. For example, the person you want to become might have a certain job, be a parent, be sober, or be in great shape.