Reading Guide · Lisanne Swart
Authors Like James Clear
You come to James Clear for a very specific kind of writing. Here are ten authors who scratch a similar itch — some closer in style, some closer in subject, all worth the detour.
Where to start
If you loved James Clear, then…
Charles Duhigg — the more research-driven, story-based counterpart to Atomic Habits
If you loved James Clear, then…
BJ Fogg — an even more granular version of Clear’s small-changes philosophy
If you loved James Clear, then…
Gretchen Rubin — a complementary approach for readers who found Clear’s system too one-size-fits-all
If you loved James Clear, then…
Wendy Wood — the academic source material behind many of Atomic Habits’s claims
10 authors like James Clear
Charles Duhigg
The Power of Habit covers the neuroscience and case studies behind habit formation in more narrative depth.
BJ Fogg
Tiny Habits argues for even smaller behavior changes than Clear does, backed by his Stanford research.
Gretchen Rubin
Better Than Before groups habit strategies by personality type rather than a single universal system.
Wendy Wood
Good Habits, Bad Habits is written by one of the actual psychologists behind the habit research Clear cites.
Angela Duckworth
Grit examines sustained effort and passion rather than daily habit mechanics.
Cal Newport
Deep Work applies a similar systems-over-willpower philosophy to focus and productivity specifically.
Nir Eyal
Indistractable tackles the flip side of habit formation: how to break the habits technology builds into us.
Katy Milkman
How to Change draws on behavioral economics research to explain why habits fail and how to fix that.
Daniel Pink
Drive examines the psychology of motivation that underlies why habits stick or don’t.
Robert Cialdini
Influence covers the psychological principles behind behavior change more broadly, including habits.
Every list here is a door, not a destination.
— Lisanne Swart
Frequently asked questions
Who should I read if I like James Clear?
The authors below share James Clear’s core preoccupations — tone, subject matter, or structural approach — even where their style differs. Start with whichever description sounds closest to what drew you to James Clear in the first place.
Is there one author most similar to James Clear?
Charles Duhigg is usually the closest match on this list, though ‘closest’ depends on whether you’re drawn to James Clear for voice, subject, or structure.
