What separates a good coach from a great coach is a purpose. “Knowing your why” can get lost as many times. Examples such as, poor technique, off-set sleeping habits, below optimal training, or, poor nutrition are a few. It is our responsibility to address these habits, and provide a productive an optimal training environment.
You may be asking, why is it these habits are so important to address? The reason for this lies deeper than you may think. You need to address the habit, by eliminating the poor routine, and establish a productive habit that relates toward your program goal.
The Power of Habit, by Charles Duhigg, talks about this in great detail. According to Duhigg, a stimulus, leads to unconscious action, that then in provides an end result. “We are used to a cue, that cue provides us with a routine, then upon completion of this routine, a reward is presented.” For example, our cell phones are often used more than we’d like to admit. This, Duhigg states is known as, the feedback loop.
Take for example a text message on your phone:
We have our “cue”, the chime or vibration that signals a “routine” , checking the phone, then, an end result of our attention being taken away from our current situation, and into the phone. This is the “reward” of that attention you’ve been craving.
Source: The Power of Habit by Charles Dughigg
Bad habits are never truly extinguished but changed, rather than changing the cue or reward, aim to address the habit itself.
Tony Dungy, former coach for Indianapolis Colts didn’t always have success as a coach. Especially in his early years, when coaching for the Buccaneers, or The “Orange Doormat” of the NFL.
Rather than try and change the old cue, (1st step), Dungy tapped into the bad habits of players, and adjusted them (2nd step). Rather than teaching his players countless formations, he simply perfected the formations and tactics that fit his team and rather than over-thinking, the players were acting upon habit!
Source: The Power of Habit by Charles Dughigg
This is such a powerful tool that us as coaches can add to our toolbox. Whether it is on the field or in the weight room.
It’s 6:05 am, and your 6:00 am group just strolled into the weight room. They were up all night in their dorms playing video games or binge watching T.V. for several hours. Blue light and electronic facts aside, these kids have established a routine of staying up late, leading to a lack of sleep, therefore training is not optimal.
You, as a coach can address this by leaving the cue, and the reward, and address the poor behavior. Paired with the knowledge of the importance of sleep in relation to success in recovery and overall well-being, you could suggest that they read or mediate, over video games and computer screens. This changes the habit, not the cue or reward, to form a new productive habit.
Thank you to Charless Duhigg for your book and Enjoy!
coachingthoughts 