Do you have an Apple Watch or Fitbit? Or perhaps you've used Snapchat at some point in your life? If so, then you might be familiar with streaks. Streaks tell you when you've accomplished a task or habit multiple days in a row. And it might seem like an arbitrary thing, but people love to stay on-task and not lose their streak, especially if the number continues to grow over consecutive days (e.g., you walked 10,000 steps for 30 days in a row).
Coach Catalyst figured this out pretty quickly, which is why streaks are an integral part of the Coach Catalyst app and software.
Habit Change Takes Time, Effort, And Intent
Most trainers and coaches in our field understand that change isn't easy, which is why clients come to hire us in the first place. We are change advocates, after all. However, changing habits becomes exponentially more complicated when we start layering in multiple habits simultaneously.
So, it is often ill-advised to work on numerous habits or tasks at the same time. So, for example, we wouldn't try to change a client's eating behavior, training program, or social circle all at once. Instead, we'd pick the lowest-hanging fruit (i.e., the easiest thing to tackle) and work on that. This is precisely what coaches at Precision Nutrition do, and they're the lead experts in the nutrition coaching and behavior change field. And the science and data support this (1, 2, 3), so it's hard to argue how impactful single-habit change approaches can be.
Fortunately, with Coach Catalyst, you can track one habit at a time, and every time a client nails their practice or task, they are rewarded with streaks. So, you can help your clients crush their task or habit goals using the Coach Catalyst software and encourage them to continue on that path by focusing on the streak. It's a win-win.
"We have a few clients across Coach Catalyst that are on their 300+ day streak with their habits, and they freaking love it!"
Don't Break Your Streak!
Once a client is on a habit streak, we highly encourage you to keep on them and to use the streak feature as a focal point for success. Not only does this show your investment in the process, but it will likely increase their likelihood to continue their habit streaks. Of course, no one wants to let their trainer or coach down, right?
So make sure your clients check their calendars and metrics to see how far along their habit streak they are.
You can take things one step further and incentivize them to hit certain streaks. Sometimes, we reward our clients for hitting 30- or 60-day milestones with their daily habits. It's not a necessity by any means, but it's something to consider.
Let habit streaks help you keep your clients accountable and focused on what's in front of them. It'll be a game-changer in your business and coaching practice.
Let habit streaks help you keep your clients accountable and focused on what's in front of them. It'll be a game-changer in your business and coaching practice.
Start your
14-day trial
Get started today with the #1 Software for Overwhelmed Coaches to start scaling your business without adding any extra work. Be up and running within 5 minutes!
References:
2) Making health habitual: the psychology of 'habit-formation' and general practice
3) The relationship between habit and healthcare professional behaviour in clinical practice: a systematic review and meta-analysisBio:
Brian has spent the last 12 years fine-tuning his skills as a coach and movement specialist to help people move and feel better than ever before. He has worked with and learned from some of the industry's most revered coaches and personal trainers, like Adam Bornstein, Tim Skwiat, and Justin Kavanaugh. He has held multiple certifications through Functional Range Conditioning (FRC), Precision Nutrition (Pn2), and ONNIT. In 2018, Brian founded Motive Training, a personal training organization that teaches clients how to move with purpose, ensuring they have a well-rounded, functional body. You can find Motive Training in Grand Rapids, MI, and Austin, TX.
Website: www.movewithpurpose.com