Youth Inc. Recommends: Four great resources for building good habits

Developing a routine and good habits are crucial in any part of life and particularly in sports. Focusing on the process and making it repeatable is directly attributable to success. But how do you it? 

 To find answers, our team went to work and found four great resources to build good habits.  

How to Build Positive Habits and Break the Bad Ones   

What it is: An informative blog post from Changing the Game Project on how to build positive habits and break bad ones.  

Why we like it: A sound approach to the subject, we were particularly struck by the section, “We do not rise to the level of our goals, we fall to the level of our systems.” We also love the four laws of behavior change. 

10 Habits of the Successful Athlete   

 What it is: A blog post by Joe Puentes of Performance Psychology Center on 10 habits of a successful athlete. 

 Why we like it: We love posts that back up their tips and theories with concrete examples. From rest and recovery to mental toughness and resilience, this piece has clear steps that any athlete can follow. 

James Clear on how to actually change your habits 

What it is: A terrific how-to guide to changing your habits from New York Times bestselling author James Clear. Clear’s book Atomic Habits reached No. 1 on the Times list. 

 Why we like it: This post includes three ways to form better habits and three ways to break bad habits. There are also more terrific resources like the best habits books and articles. 

 The Habits That Elevate Your Game 

What it is:  A TikTok video from professional soccer player Brittany Wilson in which she lays out habits that helped her go from club to D-I to pro soccer. 

Why we like it: Wilson outlines small sacrifices and habits that helped her become a professional like sleep, nutrition, putting in the extra work and asking for feedback. It might seem simple but the little things make a big difference.