Reboot your running in the New Year!
Reboot Your Running in the New Year: A Guide to Identity-Based Goals
The start of a new year feels like a clean slate, doesn’t it? It’s the perfect time to reflect on the past and set intentions for the future. For runners, this often means setting big, shiny goals: running your first marathon, achieving a PR, or simply building consistency. But how often do these goals fizzle out before spring? The culprit isn’t a lack of willpower—it’s the way we approach change.
James Clear’s Atomic Habits provides a powerful framework for creating lasting transformation, and as a running coach, I’ve found it invaluable for helping athletes reboot their running routines. The key? Shifting from outcome-based goals to identity-based ones and aligning action over motion. Let’s break it down and apply these principles to your running in the new year.
Step 1: Shift to Identity-Based Goals
Instead of focusing solely on what you want to achieve (outcome-based goals), focus on who you want to become (identity-based goals). Ask yourself: “What type of runner do I want to be?” Maybe your answer is, “I want to be someone who runs consistently,” or “I want to be a strong and injury-free runner.”
When you tie your goals to your identity, every action you take becomes a vote for the person you want to become. For example, when you lace up your shoes and head out the door, you’re not just going for a run—you’re reinforcing the belief that you are a runner. It’s a subtle but profound shift that builds confidence and momentum over time.
Step 2: Align Action Over Motion
Clear distinguishes between action and motion. Motion is planning, researching, or preparing to run; action is the actual running. Motion feels productive, but it doesn’t move the needle. Action does.
For runners, it’s easy to get stuck in motion: mapping out elaborate training plans, buying new gear, or endlessly debating the best energy gel. While these things have their place, they’re meaningless if you don’t take that first step out the door. The simplest way to create change is to focus on consistent, small actions that align with your identity.
For example, if your goal is to be a consistent runner, commit to running for just 10 minutes a day. That small action aligns with your identity and builds the habit without overwhelming you. As Clear says, “You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.”
Step 3: Build Habits Using the Four Laws of Behavior Change
Clear outlines four laws for building good habits: make it obvious, attractive, easy, and satisfying. Here’s how you can apply them to your running:
Make it Obvious: Set your running shoes by the door or lay out your clothes the night before. Create visual cues that remind you of your commitment to running.
Make it Attractive: Pair your run with something you enjoy, like listening to a favorite podcast or running with a friend. When the habit feels rewarding, you’re more likely to stick with it.
Make it Easy: Start small. Instead of committing to a 5-mile run right away, begin with a short, easy jog. Success breeds success, and small wins build confidence.
Make it Satisfying: Track your runs and celebrate your progress. Whether it’s checking off a day on your calendar or treating yourself to a new pair of socks after a month of consistency, find ways to make the habit feel rewarding.
Step 4: Focus on Systems, Not Just Goals
Goals are important, but they’re not enough. If your system doesn’t support your goals, you’ll struggle to achieve them. For runners, a system might look like having a weekly training schedule, building recovery days into your routine, or meal-prepping to support your nutrition. These systems create the environment for success.
For example, if you want to become a consistent runner, your system might include running three times a week at the same time each day, strength training twice a week, and prioritizing sleep to aid recovery. When you focus on these systems, the outcomes (like running a faster 10K or completing your first half marathon) naturally follow.
Step 5: Embrace the Process
The beauty of identity-based goals is that they shift your focus from the outcome to the process. When you enjoy the process of becoming a runner, you’re more likely to stick with it—even when the weather’s lousy, your schedule’s packed, or motivation wanes. Remember, every run—no matter how short or slow—is a step toward becoming the runner you want to be.
The Bottom Line
Rebooting your running in the new year doesn’t require drastic changes or monumental goals. Instead, it requires a shift in mindset: from chasing outcomes to embodying the identity of a runner. By focusing on small, consistent actions that align with your identity, you’ll not only achieve your goals—you’ll become the kind of runner who sets and crushes goals year after year.
So, as you step into the new year, ask yourself: “Who do I want to become?” And remember, the journey of becoming that person starts with a single step—or in this case, a single run.
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