Good habits for Norseman

Temporal landmarks like New Year's or a birthday are helpful tools to launch behavior change. Acknowledging that behavior change is hard (so give yourself grace), it can be effective to focus first on environmental restructuring and then apply James Clear's 4 steps to building a good habit: 1) Make it obvious, 2) Make it attractive, 3) Make it easy, and 4) Make it satisfying.

In 2023, if all goes well, I will be competing in the Norseman, a bucket-item triathlon in Norway that I have been trying for over a decade to win the lottery for. This Ironman-distance self-supported extreme triathlon will require serious preparation and very good habits, especially in diet, exercise, and sleep.

1) Make it obvious: The tri bike and trainer are downstairs so it's easy to fall victim to "out of sight, out of mind." Therefore, I keep reminders of Norseman where I can see them: the lottery win in my email, the extra bike shorts hanging from a peg on my office wall, the protein on the counter in the kitchen.

2) Make it attractive: If it's a high-motivation day, then the post-workout protein shake (chocolate whey with milk, water, and 1/2 cup of decaf coffee) is enough of a reward. If it's a low-motivation day, I use M&Ms to get the workout started. If you need glucose for motivation, like I do, make sure to consume it right before or early in your workout.

3) Make it easy: I keep bike shoes, socks, bibs, and a t-shirt right next to my exercise bike, which is already set up with a charged HR monitor and cadence sensor. All I have to do is jump on it and start spinning.

4) Make it satisfying: Thankfully there's little to do here because exercise is inherently satisfying, once it is done. During exercise the brain releases adrenaline, endorphins, and dopamine, which make you feel happy and satisfied.