Keystone Habits Might Be Your Keys to Success

We all know habits matter. But some habits do more than shape a single part of your life, they can shape all of it.

These are what Charles Duhigg, author of The Power of Habits, calls keystone habits: foundational routines that spill over into other areas, creating a ripple effect for positive change.

For me, a huge keystone habit started at an old YMCA with rusty barbells and my high school football teammates.

Finding My Edge

At 5’9” and 155 pounds, I wasn’t exactly built for football glory. To make matter worse, I wasn’t fast, either. But I was determined to find an edge so I could play to the best of my ability.

Prior to my senior year, a few teammates and I started training at the downtown YMCA in Columbus, Ohio, where competitive powerlifters took us under their wing. The previous year, I had gained a measly five pounds under my coaches’ supervision, despite a lot of hard work. But three months with those powerlifters changed everything. In that short timeframe I packed on 22 pounds of muscle and strength!

By the time football season rolled around, I was 30 pounds heavier, significantly stronger, and much faster. I’d found my edge, and more importantly, I’d found a passion for lifting weights.

Even after the season ended, I kept lifting. In college, I ran Miami University’s weightlifting club for three years and began competing in powerlifting. After graduation, I even tried my hand at bodybuilding for several years. Decades later, I still lift five to seven days a week. My goal now isn’t to compete; it’s to stay strong, healthy, and able to keep up with my grandson, Emmett.

That lifelong habit became the foundation for much more than physical fitness. It became a success accelerant.

Self-Discipline: The Foundation of Freedom

One of the biggest challenges entrepreneurs face is self-discipline, learning how to structure freedom. It’s easy to say, “I’ll do it later,” but it’s harder to actually do it.

When I was younger, getting to the gym was non-negotiable. I went there straight from work because I knew if I went home, distractions might win. Having workout partners waiting for me added accountability, an application of Cialdini’s consistency and social proof principles.

These days, my morning routine starts well before sunrise: a walk, workout, stretch, eat. By 6:30 a.m., I’ve already done more for my mind, body, and spirit than most people do all day. That rhythm sets the tone for everything that follows.

Goal Setting and Planning: Thinking in Reps

When preparing for a powerlifting meet, I always set clear, measurable goals for each lift: squat, bench press, and deadlift. Then I reverse-engineered my training plan, mapping out every workout, weights and reps, leading up to the day of competition.

That habit of structured goal-setting became a transferable skill. In business, I use the same process: define the goal, design the plan, track the progress. It’s blueprint built under the stress of heavy weights.

Mental Discipline: Strength Beyond the Gym

The gym also built something less visible: mental toughness.

When I began my corporate career, I decided I wanted to earn my Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designation. That’s insurance industry’s equivalent of a CPA for accountants.

It was demanding, but my weightlifting mindset kicked in. Early mornings with coffee and study materials replaced barbells and dumbbells. Whenever studying, or any other task, felt hard, I’d remind myself, “This isn’t nearly as tough as my leg workouts.”

That mental resilience, formed rep by rep, made complex professional challenges feel manageable. That was Cialdini’s compare and contrast phenomenon at work on my mind.

The Ripple Effect of Keystone Habits

My old football coach used to say, “You’ll learn a lot about life playing this game.” He was right and I’d say the same about the gym.

Working out taught me discipline, goal-setting, and perseverance; habits that extended far beyond fitness. They shaped how I lead, how I work, and even how I show up for my family.

That’s the beauty of keystone habits. Whether it’s exercise, journaling, prayer, or making your bed, these practices reinforce who you’re becoming. They align your actions with your identity, what Cialdini calls the commitment and consistency principle at work.

What About You?

This is worth considering as we get ready to enter another new year. Remember, keystone habits aren’t limited to the gym. Maybe yours is morning prayer, reading before bed, or daily gratitude.

What habits have shaped who you are? How have they spilled over into other parts of your life?

I’d love to hear from you. Your story might be just what someone else needs to recognize their own keystone habit—and their key to success.

Edited with ChatGPT

Brian Ahearn

Brian Ahearn is the Chief Influence Officer at Influence PEOPLE and a faculty member at the Cialdini Institute. An author, TEDx presenter, international speaker, coach, and consultant, Brian helps clients apply influence in everyday situations to boost results.

As one of only a dozen Cialdini Method Certified Trainers in the world, Brian was personally trained and endorsed by Robert Cialdini, Ph.D., the most cited living social psychologist on the science of ethical influence.

Brian’s first book, Influence PEOPLE, was named one of the 100 Best Influence Books of All Time by Book Authority. Persuasive Selling and Influenced from Above were Amazon new release bestsellers. The Influencer, is a business parable designed to teach you how to use influence in everyday situations.

Brian’s LinkedIn courses on persuasive selling and coaching have been viewed by over 800,000 people around the world and his TEDx Talk on pre-suasion has more than a million views!