Most attempts at change fail because we start in the wrong place. We set a goal, we try to build habits, and then we hope for transformation. But according to James Clear’s Atomic Habits, real change happens when we shift our identity first—when we become the type of person who naturally does those things.

I experienced this firsthand. For years, I struggled to swim longer distances, doubting my endurance. Then, one swim lesson changed everything—not just my technique, but how I saw myself. I walked out of that lesson not just as someone who wanted to swim longer, but as an endurance swimmer in training. That identity shift changed my actions immediately.

Shifting your identity doesn’t happen overnight, but each tiny action proves it to yourself. And once you believe it, your habits naturally follow.