Making Habits Stick: Simple Strategies for Athletes and Parents

In this episode of Car Ride Conversations for Sports Families, host Valerie Alston explores how to make big goals attainable by shrinking habits to ensure they stick. Drawing inspiration from 'Atomic Habits' by James Clear, Valerie discusses the importance of making good habits easy to start and emphasizes the value of consistency over perfection. She offers actionable advice on breaking down daunting tasks into manageable steps, piggybacking new habits on existing ones, and making bad habits harder to start. Ideal for parents and young athletes, this podcast aims to foster mental toughness, resilience, and confidence through practical, everyday conversations.

00:00 Introduction to Effective Habits

00:49 Understanding the Third Law of Behavior Change

01:42 Making Habits Easy to Start

04:04 Practical Examples for Athletes and Students

05:34 Attaching New Habits to Existing Routines

06:33 Eliminating Bad Habits

08:10 Building Mental Toughness and Discipline

10:49 Conversation Prompts and Challenges

15:19 Final Thoughts and Call to Action

Atomic Habits link: https://amzn.to/49rZNP4

Discussion questions:

1. What habit feels hardest to start right now?
2. How could we shrink that habit so it feels easier to begin?
3. What daily routine could we attach that habit to?
4. What’s one distraction we could make harder to access during school or practice prep?

Thanks for joining me on Confident, Calm, and Clutch Car Ride Conversations! If you found this episode helpful, please subscribe to the podcast so you never miss a moment. Share it with other parents or coaches who could use a little extra inspiration on the go.

For exclusive tips, tools, and updates join my newsletter at www.confidentcalmclutch.com/newsletter

For more specific tips on building mental toughness, buy my book Confident, Calm and Clutch: How to build confidence and mental toughness for young athletes using sports psychology

If you are a coach looking for ways to build mental toughness into your practices then check out my coaching resources (books, assessments, conversation starters, community and more) here.

Parents join my Facebook group to Help Your Athlete Gain Mental Toughness for Parents

Have an idea for a topic? Submit your idea here.

Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email me: valerie.alston@valstoncoaching.com

Follow Me on:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/valstoncoaching

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/valstoncoaching

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@valstoncoaching9666

Watch every episode of Car Ride Conversations here:

Mastering Habits: Law 2 - Make it attractive

Join host Valerie Alston on this episode of Car Ride Conversations for Sports Families as she dives into the science of habit formation and motivation. Learn how to connect habits to purpose, enjoyment, and identity, and discover practical tips from James Clear's book, 'Atomic Habits.' Valerie discusses the dopamine feedback loop, temptation bundling, and surrounding yourself with the right influences to build effective habits. Ideal for parents and young athletes aiming to improve mental toughness, resilience, and confidence, this conversation will help you build stronger relationships and lifelong skills. Tune in for actionable advice on making habits stick and avoiding negative behaviors. Don't forget to like, share, and subscribe for more insightful discussions!

00:00 Introduction to Motivation and Habits

00:20 Podcast Introduction and Host Welcome

01:07 Understanding the Second Law of Behavior Change

01:52 The Dopamine Feedback Loop

02:44 Temptation Bundling Explained

04:03 Practical Examples of Temptation Bundling

06:22 Combining Temptation Bundling with Habit Stacking

07:27 The Role of Belonging in Habit Formation

09:35 Surrounding Yourself with the Right People

12:48 Reframing Negative Habits

14:41 Interactive Questions for Listeners

18:44 Conclusion and Call to Action

Atomic Habits link: https://amzn.to/49rZNP4

Discussion questions:

1. What’s something you want to do every day — and something you need to do — and how could we pair them together?
2. Who are 2-3 people you’re around often who have habits you admire — and how do those habits influence you?(Friends, teammates, older players, etc.)
3. When you hear someone say “I have to go work out” vs. “It’s time to get stronger and faster,” how do those feel different?
4. What’s one habit you could make more attractive this week — and what would help make it feel more fun, social, or rewarding? (Could be schoolwork, workouts, even sleep routines)

Thanks for joining me on Confident, Calm, and Clutch Car Ride Conversations! If you found this episode helpful, please subscribe to the podcast so you never miss a moment. Share it with other parents or coaches who could use a little extra inspiration on the go.

For exclusive tips, tools, and updates join my newsletter at www.confidentcalmclutch.com/newsletter

For more specific tips on building mental toughness, buy my book Confident, Calm and Clutch: How to build confidence and mental toughness for young athletes using sports psychology

If you are a coach looking for ways to build mental toughness into your practices then check out my coaching resources (books, assessments, conversation starters, community and more) here.

Parents join my Facebook group to Help Your Athlete Gain Mental Toughness for Parents

Have an idea for a topic?

Kickstart Your Year: Build better habits - Make it Obvious

In this episode of Car Ride Conversations for Sports Families, host Valerie Alston discusses the importance of habit formation over motivation for achieving long-term goals. She dives into the science of habit formation and shares practical tips on building effective habits for athletes and their families. Valerie highlights the significance of making good habits obvious and bad habits invisible. She provides actionable strategies, inspired by James Clear's 'Atomic Habits,' for creating an environment conducive to achieving goals. Valerie also prompts listeners to engage in meaningful family conversations about identifying and implementing new habits. Join the conversation for insights on building mental toughness, resilience, and confidence while fostering stronger family relationships. Don't forget to share this episode and subscribe to Valerie's newsletter for more tips.

00:00 Introduction to Motivation and Habits

00:52 Welcome to Car Ride Conversations

01:26 Kicking Off January with Better Habits

03:19 Understanding Habit Formation

06:13 The Habit Loop Explained

09:11 Making Good Habits Obvious

10:56 Eliminating Bad Habits

12:17 Aligning Habits with Identity

14:11 Practical Tips for Building Habits

16:15 Family Discussion Questions

19:58 Conclusion and Next Steps

Atomic Habits link: https://amzn.to/49rZNP4

Discussion questions:

1. What’s one habit you do automatically without thinking?
2. What’s a good habit we could make more obvious this week?
3. What’s one distraction we could make less visible?
4. Where could we place reminders to help you succeed?

Thanks for joining me on Confident, Calm, and Clutch Car Ride Conversations! If you found this episode helpful, please subscribe to the podcast so you never miss a moment. Share it with other parents or coaches who could use a little extra inspiration on the go.

For exclusive tips, tools, and updates join my newsletter at www.confidentcalmclutch.com/newsletter

For more specific tips on building mental toughness, buy my book Confident, Calm and Clutch: How to build confidence and mental toughness for young athletes using sports psychology

If you are a coach looking for ways to build mental toughness into your practices then check out my coaching resources (books, assessments, conversation starters, community and more) here.

Parents join my Facebook group to Help Your Athlete Gain Mental Toughness for Parents

Have an idea for a topic? Submit your idea here.

Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email me: valerie.alston@valstoncoaching.com

Follow Me on:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/valstoncoaching

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/valstoncoaching

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@valstoncoaching9666

Watch every episode of Car Ride Conversations here: