I had the pleasure of hosting a Substack Live session with Gunnar Habitz, the author of 28 books, including his latest Happy Habits. What began as a casual conversation turned into a deep and inspiring exploration of how habits are formed, sustained, and shared.
As someone who also writes, creates, and coaches others on how to build consistency, I found his story, and his practical systems, worth sharing with a broader lens. Below, I’ve pulled out some of the biggest gems we uncovered.
📘 The Surprising Origin of Happy Habits
Gunnar shared that the inspiration struck on a beach in Sydney after reading just 15 minutes of a book on discipline. That moment turned into a goal: write a focused, practical book by July 28, his late father's birthday and (fittingly) his 28th book.
This combination of meaningful timing and personal accountability became a powerful anchor, something we could all use when starting creative projects.
✅ The 4P Habit Framework (with a Twist)
If you’ve read Atomic Habits, you’ll be familiar with some of the foundations. But Gunnar added something I don’t often hear emphasized: partnership.
Here’s his version of the framework:
Pause – Let life’s interruptions become opportunities
Plan – Make habits visible, simple, and time-bound
Practice – Focus on consistency, not perfection
Partner – Share goals, find accountability, collaborate
“Most habit books overlook partnership, but that’s often the missing piece to succeed.”
This really resonated with me. Whether it’s writing together, joining a fundraising challenge, or just telling someone your goal, doing things with others adds stickiness to your habits.
🧠 Writing Tips from a Prolific Author
I asked Gunnar how he keeps up the pace of writing nearly one book per year. His answer?
“I write my books backwards.”
Here’s what that means:
Start with the outcome: What do I want the reader to feel or do?
Plan the launch: What’s the event or milestone?
Then build the book to hit that deadline.
This strategy, paired with small daily writing windows (30 minutes a day) and removing distractions (like hiding Instagram), allowed him to finish Happy Habits in just 42 days.
📚 A Series for Today’s Attention Spans
Happy Habits is just the first in a 7-part series of short, focused reads, each tackling a unique theme like:
Brainstorm Buddy (AI-powered ideation)
Digital Dementia (navigating tech overwhelm)
Attention Addiction (rethinking how we scroll)
What I appreciate is his intentionality: shorter books, made to be actually read, not just bought. Gunnar mentions the author J.R. Heimbigner, The Minimalist Author on Substack, who teaches how to write multiple books by focusing on one topic at a time. Each book is concise, often just 60 to 80 pages.
🔄 When You’re Stuck, Don’t Stop—Pivot
One of my favorite parts of our chat was how Gunnar addressed writer’s block. He doesn’t force it, instead, he works around it:
Do book-related tasks like gathering early readers or prepping a launch email
Give yourself two choices: Write Book A or Book B (instead of “write or don’t write”)
Stack habits: Add a small task to something you already do
🧍 Identity Before Action
We wrapped the session reflecting on identity. Gunnar reminded us that great habits aren’t just about doing more, they’re about becoming more.
“Good habits don’t just change your to-do list. They change how you see yourself.”
You don’t “try” to write a book. You become a writer.
You don’t “make time” for movement. You become someone who moves daily.
This is a core principle I deeply believe in too. True transformation comes not from effort alone, but from aligning your actions with who you want to be.
🙏 Thank You & What’s Next
Huge thanks to Gunnar for sharing his insights and to everyone who joined the live conversation. You can check out his new book here:
📘 Happy Habits on Amazon
✍️ Happy Habits - Signed Book
And if you want more conversations like this, or are working on building your own creative habit—you’re in the right place.