Book of the Month: Atomic Habits by James Clear

Our year started by turning fresh ideas into polished goals, waking those first days bright-eyed and coffee-fueled, ignoring the frigid cold, ready to take on the world. Our new fitness plan was going to burn off those dreaded extra holiday pounds or our pledge to quit smoking, drinking, or spending too much time on our phones was taking shape. Then the goal hit a snag. Research shows that New Year’s resolutions rarely make it past the second month, and eventually re-building areas of our life gets pushed aside with intentions of trying again next year. Building a positive habit doesn’t need to wait for the ball to drop. With the right approach, anyone can master the process of forming habits that last.

One of the more popular nonfiction books in recent years, Atomic Habits takes a simplistic approach to the not-so-simple phenomenon of building or breaking habits. James Clear, the well-known blogger turned habit guru, narrows the process of habit formation into four scientific laws, using the metaphor of minor increments of potential energy compounding over time to create life-changing results.

The first law states to make it obvious (or not obvious). Habits are easier to create when the cues are unavoidable. If the goal is to read more, get an exciting book and put it on a chair, bed, desk, or wherever it will be visible. Then prioritize time for the habit, even if it’s only a few minutes. If the goal is to eat more fruits and vegetables, stock the fridge with the essentials where the snacks would normally go. Or if the goal is to spend less time on the phone, put it in another room during dinner or important work that requires focus.

The second law says to make it attractive. Ever see a young player score their first goal? Parents go crazy, teammates swarm, and the coach gives a power high five. Are the reactions the same for giving an assist, blocking a shot, or making the bed? Behaviors that produce positive reactions inspire repeated behaviors. Positive habits can also be reinforced by the environment and people who support them. If we surround ourselves with fitness enthusiasts, we’ll want to go to the gym more. If we join a book club, our reading patterns will increase.

The third law says to make it easy. Action goals are the activities that progress us closer to our main goals. Often, habits fail because the expectations don’t align with our abilities. We tend to overcomplicate things. If the goal is to run a half-marathon by the spring, we wouldn’t normally start out by running 13 miles on day 1. Yet we approach many goals the same way. Lessen the complexity by focusing on the act of getting out of bed a half-hour earlier, putting the running shoes by the coffee pot, or laying out the gear the night before. Create small wins, and over time they’ll turn into bigger wins. Incremental action steps are the key to sustaining the larger habit.

The fourth law states to make it satisfying. What’s a win without a champagne shower and Queen’s “We Are the Champions?” When we make it six miles on a run without stopping or read a challenging book, we can celebrate by doing something enjoyable. Spent four hours without mindless scrolling on social media? Put another dime in the vacation jukebox, baby. Expanding the second law, the most fulfilling part of turning actions into habits is recognizing success so the behavior becomes even more desirable. Eventually, we wake up in the morning craving those positive rewards.

This all sounds legit, but how do we measure success? How do we know when we’ve progressed to a new level. Clear makes a compelling case for habit tracking, one of the simplest tools for maintaining our motivation and focus, and also a habit in itself. Here he writes about the power of habit tracking:

A habit tracker is a simple way to measure whether you did a habit. The most basic format is to get a calendar and cross off each day you stick with your routine. For example, if you meditate on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, each of those dates gets an X. As time rolls by, the calendar becomes a record of your habit streak.

Countless people have tracked their habits, but perhaps the most famous was Benjamin Franklin. Beginning at age twenty, Franklin carried small booklet everywhere he went and used it to track thirteen personal virtues. This list included goals like “Lose no time. Be always employed in something useful” and “Avoiding trifling conversations.” At the end of each day, Franklin would open his booklet and record his progress.

Jerry Seinfeld reportedly uses a habit tracker to stick with his streak of writing jokes. In the documentary Comedian, he explains that his goal is simply to “never break the chain” of writing jokes every day. In other words, he is not focused on how good or bad a particular joke is or how inspired he feels. He is simply focused on showing up and adding to his streak.

Maintaining the flow of action goals is integral to achieving new habit success. Tracking holds us accountable. Doing the activity and recognizing completion keeps the habit formation at the top of our mind. Over a period of time, those repetitive actions eventually evolve from a conscious to an unconscious activity. We can track anything. Gym goers track lifts or cardio sessions, some with the use of technology. Salespeople track phone calls and emails. Teachers track achieved lesson objectives. Business owners track transactions. It doesn’t matter the size of the activities we track, seeing the daily commitment maintains our focus. Even when there are days we miss, and there will be days we miss, starting a new streak without an implosion gets us closer to automaticity.

Book of the Month: The MetaShred Diet

We all make New Year’s resolutions. Whether it’s to be more present, spend more time with family, or hit that business goal, the change in the calendar provides an opportunity to assess what’s working or not working in our lives and plan a new course of action. For many, that involves getting in better shape and committing to a healthy diet. However, too often those visions of being ripped on a South Jersey beach by July end a couple of weeks into January when life has other ideas.

Committing to healthier eating may be difficult because it requires preparation and discipline. We have to first finish the Christmas cookies, and those leftover bottles of bubbly aren’t going to drink themselves. Fortunately, Dr. Michael Roussell has taken care of the legwork. In his book The MetaShred Diet, the former Men’s Health Nutrition editor maps out a 30 (or 60) day diet plan that guarantees immediate results. I don’t mean the one and done approach where we drop a few pounds then gain it all back with one St. Patty’s Day bender. With preparation and discipline, The MetaShred Diet will help build that desirable physique, creating lifelong habits along the way.

What makes MetaShred so different than other diets? For one, the goal is eating enough food to satisfy daily needs, which are calculated prior to following one of six levels based on caloric requirements. Although the plan is ketogenic based, which means reaching a stage where the body burns fat for fuel instead of carbohydrates, Roussell considers the diet a metabolic reset and not a full-time guide, targeting a specific caloric intake while getting all the essential nutrients.

The plan is easy to follow. Prior to starting, the individual will calculate basal metabolic rate and energy expenditure rate using proven formulas to determine daily caloric needs then reduce that number by 500 calories, not a significant drop. We’re talking one to two fewer servings and eliminating sugars and sweets, empty-calorie foods, and yes, alcohol. The plans follow specific meals from Roussell’s database of recipes with the flexibility of mixing favorites as long as they are within the current phase (fat loss primer or fat loss acceleration). Even after the 30 (or 60) day plan is up, healthy habit formation will lead to MetaShred’s overall goal of building nutritional confidence.

Satiety is one of the core principles of MetaShred, and the feeling of fullness comes from eating enough of the right foods—vegetables and fruits, healthy fats, and protein, one of the most misunderstood macros according to Roussell.

One of the most common antiprotein cries you will hear is that people are already getting too much protein. You’ll then be told that women only need 46 grams of protein and men only need 56 grams. This is true. If you’re only interested in getting enough protein so that you don’t become ill from malnutrition, then please limit your protein intake to no more than 46 or 56 grams, respectively, per day. If you’re looking to get ripped without constantly feeling like you’re so hungry that you could eat shoe leather, you’ll want to take a different approach. The MetaShred Diet isn’t about preventing deficiency, it’s about optimizing and maximizing your progress. And you need more protein to do that.

Built within the MetaShred Diet are concepts that promote muscle protein synthesis. Research shows that getting at least 25 to 30 grams of protein each meal stimulates muscle protein synthesis, triggers satiety, and eliminates the condition known as “skinny fat” in which an individual loses both fat and muscle when trying to restrict calories, resulting in unhealthy weight loss and the body’s natural response to hold onto fat and burn protein as fuel. Roussell emphasizes protein timing, especially post-workout protein smoothies when synthesis peaks.

I found MetaShred over five years ago, after I’d turned forty. I struggled with energy and felt frustrated when minor injuries limited my workouts. I’d developed a bit of a dad bod because my workouts weren’t delivering the same results, yet the main issue was poor eating habits. The first time I followed the diet, I lost 3 pounds the first week and 5 more the second week, but by the third week, the fat burned away as if I were back in preseason training. I lost 8 more pounds over the final two weeks and was soon at my college soccer weight. More importantly, muscle definition returned without muscle loss, and my energy increased, all while maintaining my normal workouts. The only change was eating.

Sugar was the easiest ingredient to cut. I realized how many foods I was eating contain added sugars. It’s shocking. I still enjoy my favorite pizza sparingly, but I’ve learned the value of foods like almond flour and cauliflower rice in my meal planning, which centers around a protein and not a carb like in traditional dishes. I eat more than enough vegetables and fruits, adding variety, and I experiment more with simple spices, herbs, and minimal amounts of sauces like soy, teriyaki, and buffalo, which impact flavor without the need for heavy sweeteners.

At first, the plan can appear overwhelming. With so many new ingredients and so much meal preparation, the first time I followed the diet I felt like a full-time chef. I spent longer than usual in the supermarket finding ingredients and too much time in the kitchen. Soon, I became more efficient. Dinners are lunches the next day by preparing extra portions, and after morning workouts, parfaits make ideal breakfast choices because they’re quick and transportable. I don’t follow the plan throughout the year. It’s not designed that way. I stick to it one month, usually before summer or at the start of the year when the holidays get away from me.

The results are undeniable. Commit to the plan for 30 days (no cheat meals) and experience a new (or old) you.

For more information, listen to Dr. Mike’s podcasts, watch his videos, or read his articles for Men’s Health.

Book of the Month: How Champions Think by Dr. Bob Rotella

There are books that reside on the bookshelf and there are books that remain bedside. Dr. Bob Rotella’s How Champions Think represents the latter. As a whole, the book can be a guide in teaching the methods and ideas used to help some the greatest athletes of our time prepare for mental success. But when time is limited and information can only be consumed between work, errands, mealtime, or the drive from one game to another, Dr. Rotella’s book becomes a masterpiece. Taken one chapter at a time, a simple phrase or passage can bounce around the mind for hours and provide the key to either unlocking a current problem or reinforcing the path to lucidity.

For decades, Rotella has been known among golf circles as one of the premier sports psychologists. Though golf and sports are an accurate metaphor for life, one doesn’t need to be a golfer or an athlete to find the value of his lessons. Insert work, family, relationships, hobbies, or passions, the comparisons are endless and the messages remain the same. Performance of the mind can be as important if not more important than the performance of the body.

The conversational tone and ease of Rotella’s writing makes it feel as if the reader is on a couch in his basement office surrounded by dozens of photos of the champions he’s helped reach the top. With my athletic days behind me, I’ve found the lessons applicable with the transfer of mastered soccer concepts toward everyday principles in teaching, coaching, writing, and real estate.

Mental health has been a hot-button topic for obvious reasons, but one doesn’t need to be dealing with failure, rejection, or depression to seek mental clarity. A healthy mind can lead to a greater quality of life, but if one’s goal is to be exceptional in a given field, Rotella makes the case that a positive mindset separates the champions from the contenders on a consistent basis.

There are many valuable quotes and passages, but here is one of my favorites:

It’s no coincidence that Phil Mickelson has been a highly successful, exciting golfer, and that he likes to say, “The birdies are in the woods.” What Phil means is that he remains optimistic even when he drives the ball off line, into the woods or rough instead of onto the fairway. That optimism is one reason he sometimes hits amazing recovery shots, like the one he hit off the pine straw to the 13th green en route to taking the 2010 Masters.

The opposite of this sort of situational optimism is an attitude of fear, concern, and doubt. In a word, pessimism. Pessimism tends to rouse the conscious brain and get it engaged. Our minds are programmed to work that way. In certain kinds of difficult situations, it helps to think things out calmly and rationally. I wouldn’t want my financial consultant, for instance, to pick investments for me without engaging it. But the conscious mind isn’t good for shooting or putting. It tends to make basketball players and golfers move stiffly and awkwardly. Balls clank off the rim and putts lurch past the hole.

“The birdies are in the woods” is a phrase that applies to all facets of life, and the message is the foundation of Rotella’s latest book Your Best Shot is Your Next Shot. We make mistakes. We call bad plays. Make the wrong substitution. Hit bad shots. Lose games. But many of us who possess an athlete’s brain continue to command our quest for improvement. Remaining in the present and focusing on the next play (shot/conversation/deal/test/moment) could be the single-most important piece of advice from a legendary mentor whose clients include the exceptional.

As a soccer player, I dabbled with visualization, meditation, progressive relaxation, goal-setting, and self-talk. I consider myself confident, but in hindsight, had I embraced the full power of mental clarity—performing without interference, accepting mistakes, finding and maintaining a flow state, loving the grind, achieving learned effectiveness—I would have spent as much time training my mind to reach its full potential as I did running, lifting, or shooting into a goal. Following Mickelson’s advice, we don’t need to look back to move forward. Whether standing over an approach at the par 4 16th at Five Ponds or preparing for the next sales call, the next moment represents a new opportunity to display that champion’s mindset.

Book of the Month: Hidden Potential by Adam Grant

Since early adulthood, my bookshelf has been filled with the latest and greatest in the fields of psychology, success, and performance. Recently, I discovered Adam Grant, an organizational psychologist at Wharton Business School whose primary research is in motivation and meaning. He has given numerous TED Talks, most of which can be viewed online, and his podcast Re:Thinking is a weekly staple. Hidden Potential helps readers recognize and understand qualities that lead to overall success in a wide range of fields. Many former and current athletes may not be surprised that possessing a growth mindset, pushing discomfort, being coachable, and embracing failure are among the many topics discussed.

Grant’s chapter Transforming the Daily Grind narrows down the importance of deliberate play. In particular, he highlights the relationship between trainer Brandon Payne and Steph Curry in which Payne transforms Curry’s intense training sessions into a game. I’ve long believed passionately about the value of deliberate play, which began with my time as an athlete and continued into my teaching and coaching practices. It is the secret ingredient in athletes and teams transferring skills and concepts from the training ground to the competitive field.

Here's a brief passage:

To make practice fun while building technical skills, Brandon created a menu of deliberate play activities. In Twenty-One, you get a minute to score twenty-one points with three-pointers, jump shots, and layups (worth one). But after each shot, you have to sprint to the middle of the court and back. Getting out of breath during the game stimulates the fatigue of the real game. “Every drill is a game,” Brandon explains. “There’s always a time to beat. There’s always a number to beat. If you beat the number and you don’t beat the time, you still lose.”

The downside of competing against others is that you can win without improving. They might have a bad day, or you might benefit from a stroke of good luck. In Brandon’s form of deliberate play, the person you’re competing with is your past self, and the bar you’re raising is for your future self. You’re not aiming for perfect—you’re shooting for better. The only way to win is to grow.

The basis of deliberate play is finding a flow state that balances fun and focus. It’s the understanding that how one practices is what separates great people, teams, and organizations from the rest. It’s been a philosophy long adopted by Brazilian soccer players, award-winning writers and musicians, and many other successful creators.

Grant’s work in not only primary research but in compiling the research of others draws upon a wide range of thinkers and doers. Even in his previous books, Think Again and Originals, he explores small characteristics successful people and groups share that may just help the rest of us find what we need to move that needle closer in our favor.