Atomic Habits, Art, and Identity
- JP de la Rama
- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
Why Who You Become Matters More Than What You Achieve
“Habits don’t change your life overnight—they quietly change who you believe you are.”
Setting the Stage
A while back, I kept seeing this book pop up everywhere: Atomic Habits by James Clear.
At first, I didn’t get the hype. I thought, “Another productivity book telling me to wake up at 5 AM and grind harder?”
Turns out—I Clear-ly missed the memo. Badadum tss. Enough dad jokes.
I finally bought the book, mostly out of curiosity, and unknowingly turned it into my quiet New Year’s resolution: work on myself, not just my output.
As I read through it, something clicked.
All those YouTube videos I’d watched for years—about systems, productivity, habit stacking, and discipline—were basically distilled from this book.
It wasn’t new information… but it finally made sense.
And when something finally makes sense, that’s when change starts.
The Real Problem Artists Don’t Talk About
Here’s the part that hit me hardest.
As an artist and a father, my days are constantly split.
My daughter asks me to play—every single day—and honestly, who would say no to that? But reality kicks in. Bills don’t wait. Deadlines don’t pause.
Building habits—real habits—is hard when life is loud.
For years, my biggest struggle wasn’t a lack of skill or opportunity.
It was self-doubt.
I compared myself to others.
I questioned my worth.
I measured success by output, not growth.
James Clear talks about three levels of change:
Outcome change – what you want to achieve
Process change – how you do things
Identity change – who you believe you are
That last one hit like a brick.
Somewhere along the way, I stopped believing I was “the artist who grows” and started acting like “the artist trying to survive.” That belief quietly shaped every decision I made.
And it reminded me of something a corporate leader once told me years ago:
“If you want to change your results, you have to change your belief system.”
Back then, I didn’t fully understand it.
Now I do.
Change the Identity, Not Just the Habit
The book didn’t tell me to work harder.
It told me to become someone different.
Not overnight.
Not dramatically.
But consistently.
Instead of asking:
“How do I finish more projects?”
I started asking:
“What would a disciplined artist do today?”
Instead of chasing motivation, I built systems.
Instead of comparing myself, I focused inward.
Instead of doubting my place, I rewrote my identity.
Practical takeaways for artists and creatives:
Stop obsessing over big wins. Build small, repeatable habits.
Don’t aim to “be successful.” Aim to become the kind of person who shows up daily.
Protect your belief system. Comparison kills identity.
Balance matters—being present with family fuels creativity, not drains it.
Belief isn’t magic.
Belief is alignment between who you say you are and what you do every day.
And just like in The Matrix—yeah, I’m going there—sometimes the only thing you need is to believe long enough to act differently.
That’s when habits stop being chores…
and start becoming who you are.
Subscribe to our newsletter:
Product Links:
#thescribblemedia #indiebasedstudio #animation #comics #webtoon #webcomics #services #platform #illustrationservices #computer #freelance #comicsandmanga #filipino #bisaya #bisdak #clipstudiopaint #clipstudio #clip #studio #ipadpro #tutorial #beginner #tips #videotips #newsletter #inspiration #art #creativedad #struggleofacreativedad #artistdad #atomichabits #atomichabitsbyjamesclear
Comments