In a world where most people no longer read, Atomic Habits struck a massive chord. Books on habit-building are everywhere, but James Clear managed to stand out. Even today—seven years after its release—I still spot dog-eared and brand-new copies alike.
I was pleasantly surprised to see James Clear back on many of the podcasts I follow. My instincts got the better of me, and instead of listening to any of them, I quickly googled “James Clear new book.” And just like that, my instincts were proven right. James has released The Atomic Habits Workbook, a companion to his bestselling book.
I don’t begrudge James Clear another successful product. What disappoints me is realising that even the podcasts I trusted for ideas—not ads—are ultimately monetising the same scarce resource they claim to protect: my attention.
Over time, I had settled on these few podcasts because I believed the people behind them were expending their time and energy to curate the best ideas out there. But it seems like curation has quietly turned into marketing. When every conversation is a launch, who is being served?
In the end, economics wins. Making us the product is far more lucrative than staying true to the mission.