Coach Yourself!

16Building Powerful Habits

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.

—Aristotle

There is an abundance of literature and research about the neuroscience of habits and the building blocks to sustain good habits. What can I say in a few pages about habits when so many excellent books have already been written? I start with a focus on the work of three well‐known authors, Charles Duhigg, BJ Fogg, and James Clear, because I find their work to be the most instructive and relatable when it comes to identifying, developing, and maintaining habits.

Charles Duhigg first published The Power of Habit in 2012 and explained in simple language why habits are core to everything we do and how to change them. He popularized the term habit loop and also coined the term keystone habits — foundational habits that ripple positively into other parts of our life. His core message is that the most effective way to shift a habit is to diagnose and retain the habit “cue” and “reward” and try to change only the “routine.” For instance, I feel low energy in the afternoon (cue) and change my routine from buying a chocolate chip cookie to walking around and having a chat with a colleague. And my reward remains the same: I stretch my legs and re‐energize my mood.

James Clear hit a nerve when Atomic Habits was published in 2018. He helped us see how habits are closely linked to the kind of person we want to be. He also emphasized that small incremental changes can compound ...