3 Reasons Your Habits Don’t Stick
By Craig Groeschel
You don’t need bigger habits. You need better ones.
Too many leaders chase “super habits”—big goals with no follow-through. The result? Inconsistency, weak discipline, and leadership that falls flat.
The potential of your leadership is a direct reflection of the quality of your habits. And like it or not, your teams will reflect your good and bad habits.
3 Reasons Your ‘Super Habits’ Don’t Stick
Let’s talk about the three key reasons “super habits” never stick—and how you can lead with small, wise habits that last.
1. You focus on the “what” but miss the “how.”
You’ll never hear a coach say, “This season we’ll aim for fifth place.” Or newlyweds toast, “Here’s to seven years of marriage.”
Why? Because they hope for higher and better things—they just don’t necessarily plan for how to achieve their goals.
But here’s the truth: Goals don’t determine success—systems do.
If your goal is to get to work early, then build a system. Sleep early, rise early, and prepare your clothes and coffee the night before.
It’s not a goal change. It’s a mindset change.
Fix your habits and systems, and the results will follow.
2. You don’t see progress fast enough.
Your internal timeline for success is rarely the reality. And the sooner you recognize this as a leader, the sooner you’ll hit your goals.
When progress feels slow, we start accepting two lies:
Our small, wise decisions don’t matter.
Our small, unwise decisions don’t matter.
Both are dangerously wrong. Great leadership isn’t built overnight. It’s built in weeks, months, and sometimes years of small, consistent disciplines.
When “super habits” fail, it’s the unseen routines that will deliver the results everyone wants.
3. Your negative self-perception sabotages your success.
Every leader battles insecurities—even the ones who look like they have it all together.
Your habits reflect your self-perception. An unhealthy identity creates unwise habits, and unwise habits reinforce an unhealthy identity.
Stop asking, “What do I want to do?” and start asking, “Who do I want to become?”
Then let that identity statement become who you are:
“I’m trying to be disciplined” becomes “I am a disciplined leader.”
“I want to empower my team” becomes “I am a leader who empowers others.”
Identity shapes action. Align what you do with the person you want to be, and watch your habits and leadership follow.
Creating Habits That Do Stick
Remember: Every big impact starts with small, wise habits. Don’t chase “super habits.” Create a system, commit to it daily, and make it part of who you are. That’s how leaders are made.
I’ve chased super habits before and fallen short. But over time, I’ve also discovered incredible books and resources that have helped me build habits that actually stick.
Here are 13 books that have shaped the way I think about habits, goals, and growth.
