Sports science has much to tell us about hitting goals in our own life
Whether it’s committing to better sleep, diet, consistent training or self-development, the problem isn’t usually starting – it’s sticking with it.
If anyone knows how to build habits that last, it’s elite athletes. They understand the importance of building systems over goals, stacking new habits onto existing ones and how even tiny improvements can compound over the long-term.
Their entire careers depend on building repeatable habits that hold up under pressure. It’s why examining how they operate can help any of us create routines that actually last.
1 Find Your Personal Why
Before you take action, pause and clarify your deeper motivation. Research shows that when people connect their habits to a strong “why,” they’re more resilient to setbacks, more likely to take consistent action over time and less likely to slip completely when you inevitably miss a few sessions. For athletes, that “why” might be as binary as a personal best or numerical target. For you, it might be having more energy for your family.
2 Focus on Systems, Not Goals
Goals give you direction, but systems get you there. Athletes know that the outcome – winning – isn’t controllable day to day. What is controllable? The system of habits: training sessions, nutrition, recovery routines. Spending time on designing an achievable system that fits into your life allows new habits to settle quicker and is shown to make them more robust over the long-term. Research shows habits form more reliably when tied to consistent processes rather than distant outcomes.
“What athletes really understand is that small changes performed consistently is a proven path to success.”
3 Audit Your Environment
Your surroundings shape your behaviour more than willpower. Sports scientists have found that minimising friction — making good habits easy and obvious — dramatically improves follow-through. Brainstorm ways to add visual cues and remove physical obstacles to you performing your habit. It could be as simple as getting gym clothes ready the night before or placing your supplements next to the sink so they become part of your morning routine.
4 Learn to habit stack
Want to get started on a new habit? Attach it to something you already do. This is the principle of “habit-stacking,” made famous by James Clear and demonstrated by BJ Fogg’s research at Stanford. Using the principle of synaptic pruning, habit-stacking takes advantage of ingrained habits we do every day to help our brains form new associations. “After I have my coffee, I’ll stretch for 10 minutes.” Linking a new behavior to an existing routine gives it a built-in reminder. Start small and you’ll see how more changes can
5 Keep Showing Up
Consistency beats sporadic bursts of intensity. Neuroscience confirms that repetition strengthens neural pathways – meaning regularity literally rewires your brain. For athletes, it’s the small, repeated actions performed on a daily and weekly basis that make the difference. The same is true for anyone looking to build habits that last.
The mistake many of us make when pursuing new goals is going off like a train and then crashing after two weeks because our plan was unsustainable. What athletes really understand is that small changes performed consistently is a proven path to success.
The term ‘marginal gains’, how even 1% improvements in multiple areas can create long-term change, has become overused in sport, but it’s a powerful principle for anyone looking to make progress in their own life.
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The ainslie + ainslie Performance People podcast applies insights from elite sport to everyday performance. New episodes every Tuesday.
