Habit Stacking, Haribo, and Pedal Power: Starting Down the Road From London to Paris

Can a bag of Haribo really motivate me to cycle from London to Paris? Let's dive into the power of habits!

I’m riding from London to Paris for Sands in September 2024. Getting my ample frame into gear for a 300-mile ride is proving to be a challenge, so I’m digging into the toolbox of stuff I’ve learned over the last few years of my development journey. To get myself off the office chair and onto the bike, I’m having a go at hacking my habits.

Habit Stacking: A New Approach

My dog taught me the power of habits long before James Clear became ubiquitous. However, what his brilliant Atomic Habits did teach me was the genius of ‘Habit Stacking’. Basically, you can hack your way to building new habits by taking your current habits, and ‘stacking’ new behaviour atop them.

In my case: I lift weights three times a week (habit). Post-gym bag of Haribo (BAD habit). Upload my training to Strava for my 28 followers to see (habit).

I am now taking the Strava and gym habits and stacking regular cycling on top. I sometimes stack the Haribo, too. On those days where I’m not in the gym, I use that time to cycle if I can, or I swap gym time for cycling. Uploading to Strava and publishing my progress gives me consistency with my existing habits and creates accountability. Also, I can totally eat Haribo whilst riding my bike.

I target four training activities per week. Getting this done has been tough. Work and family fill my life wonderfully at the best of times, and habits alone are not enough to move this MAMIL-shaped mass of human Haribo. I need to change my frame – quite literally.

In Steps the CFO – the Chief Fundraising Officer

To see me through, I’ve adapted some wisdom I once picked up from Tony McMurray.

Tony is a prolific fundraiser and has challenged himself in ways I could only imagine. He’s completed my moonshot goal of LeJog (Land’s End to John O’Groats cycle – from the southernmost point of mainland Britain all the way to the top) and is currently climbing over 50 mountains for charity. Taking a break from mountaineering a couple of weeks ago, he casually ran the Sofia half marathon. London to Paris? He’s completed it, mate.

Over dinner a few years ago, Tony once told me how, at that time, he was walking from Towcester to Milton Keynes every morning, setting off before dawn for a five-hour commute on foot. I think he was in training for his Everest climb, on which he nearly died. As CFO of a huge distribution business, he had very little free time for his madcap endeavours, yet he needed to train, so he adjusted the frame of his day to accommodate what was important.

Tony’s story defines my understanding of a growth mindset. He’s taught me to embrace possibilities over avoiding challenges. However, this stuff takes some next-level commitment. I’m a middle-aged dad and my two young girls keep my on my creaking toes – I need to be realistic and if I’ve learned anything, it’s that I need a system to make things work.

Breaking the Frame

So, I’m learning to adapt. As Codie Sanchez, the superstar entrepreneur behind Contrarian Thinking would say, I’m ‘breaking the frame’. I’m adjusting my perspective and building new habits. Can’t get time on the bike before kids wake, so lunchtime rides are in (short, but better than nothing). Evenings are getting short, so stationary rides in the garage are in (can be longer as daylight no issue). Can’t cycle because I’m working in Barcelona for the week? Use the 24-hr gym in the hotel (free shiny apples, too). Solo trip to Lancashire to visit family? Take the train and bike to/from the stations & visits. By breaking the frame (like Tony did) I’m able to accommodate what’s important whilst fielding the curveballs life lobs my way.

Amidst all these tweaks, central to my efforts is my core habit of tracking my progress publicly on Strava to keep myself accountable. Sharing bits of my story here also helps keep me moving, both on my own development and on the bike.

Still haven’t done anything about the Haribo habit though. Help me on my journey from London to Paris: follow me on Strava and keep me on the straight and narrow.