How One Daily Habit Can Transform Your Health and Productivity
In the final of the men’s 200-metre butterfly at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, something went wrong for swimmer Michael Phelps. Midway through the race, water began seeping into his goggles. Within seconds, his vision was completely blurred. By the final lap, he couldn’t see the pool markings, the approaching wall, or even his competitors.
Yet he kept swimming—and won gold in world-record time.
For sports psychologists and coaches, the moment remains a powerful illustration of the role habits play in performance and everyday life. When the unexpected happens and thinking clearly becomes difficult, the brain often defaults to routines that have been practiced repeatedly.
Phelps’ coach, Bob Bowman, had spent years building those routines into his training. In preparation for high-press...