Habits: The Foundation of Greatness
You’ve probably heard of setting goals—maybe you’ve even set a few: Win state, break 50 in the 400, make varsity. That’s awesome. But here’s the real talk: your goals mean nothing without the habits to back them up.
In an earlier post, I broke down the three levels of goals: Outcome, Performance, and Process. But there’s a fourth level—and it’s actually the foundation of all the others: Habits.
I’ve got to give credit where it’s due—most of what I’m about to share comes straight from James Clear’s absolute banger of a book, Atomic Habits. If you want to level up your life and performance, go grab that book. Seriously. Game-changer.
So, What Is a Habit?
A habit is something you do on autopilot—no thinking, just doing. And it follows a predictable loop:
Cue – Something triggers your brain.
Craving – You want to change your state.
Response – You take an action to satisfy the craving.
Reward – You feel good (or at least, better), reinforcing the behavior.
Sounds kind of simple, right? That’s the point. Simple doesn’t mean easy.
A Good Habit in Action:
Cue: You wake up feeling stiff.
Craving: You want to shake off that stiffness.
Response: You roll out a mat and stretch for 10 minutes.
Reward: You feel loose, limber, and ready to take on the day.
Now here’s the kicker: stretching hurts—at first. And your brain hates pain. So while the reward is real, your brain is also battling the negative reinforcement of discomfort.
But what if you built that stretch into your identity? “I’m the kind of athlete who takes care of my body.” Now that’s power.
A Not-So-Great Habit:
Cue: You’re driving home from practice, and you’re starving.
Craving: You want food. Fast.
Response: You hit the McDonald’s drive-thru and go big.
Reward: Your brain lights up from the salt, fat, and carbs. Hunger = gone.
That habit feels amazing in the moment. But over time? Low energy, weight gain, and slower recovery. The real cost shows up way down the road—and that’s exactly why bad habits are hard to break.
Habits = Your Secret Weapon
Want to perform better? Recover faster? Stay more consistent? Stack habits that support your goals. Things like:
Getting 8+ hours of sleep
Doing 5 minutes of mobility work every night
Eating real food instead of junk
Drinking water before practice instead of soda
When these behaviors become automatic, they don’t drain your willpower. They just happen. Like brushing your teeth—but for performance.
Build Better Habits Like This:
Clear lays out a simple framework for habit hacking:
To build a habit:
Make it obvious (leave your gear out, set a reminder)
Make it attractive (pair it with something fun)
Make it easy (start with 2 minutes)
Make it satisfying (track it, celebrate wins)
To break a bad habit:
Make it invisible (hide the junk food)
Make it unattractive (connect it with consequences)
Make it difficult (add friction)
Make it unsatisfying (remove rewards)
Final Word
Want to be elite? Build the habits of elite athletes. Not someday—now. One rep, one stretch, one healthy meal at a time. Do that consistently, and your goals won’t just be dreams—they’ll be checkpoints.
And seriously, grab Atomic Habits and sign up for James Clear’s newsletter. It’s quick, actionable, and always on point.
Go build something great.
If you want some help establishing the habits of a champion or getting rid of the ones that are holding you back, please reach out using the contact form.