Frameworks Episode 23 Recap: Habits-Based Coaching
Frameworks with Carl Hardwick | CoachRx Podcast Network
Welcome back to Frameworks.
This show is for coaches who want more than just reps and sets, those who care about clarity, structure, and the long game of professional coaching.
Today, we’re tackling what I call the messy middle, the space between where clients need you and where they can finally lead themselves.
From Reliance → Self-Regulation
That’s where Habits-Based Coaching lives.
In this episode, I’ll walk you through the six-step pathway I use to move clients from external reliance to internal regulation:
Intention, Assessment, Prescription, Strategy, Time, and Success Markers.
Grab your notebook—this one’s about building habits that last long after the check-ins stop.
Coaching isn’t about shouting macros or chasing wearable scores.
It’s about architecting habits so solid your client eventually forgets they’re “tracking” at all.
Our job isn’t to build dependence, it’s to build autonomy.
That’s the real measure of professional coaching.
The Six Pillars of Habits-Based Coaching
PillarPurposeCoach’s QuestionsPro Tips
1. Intention
Clarify the “why” behind every habit or metric.“What problem am I solving?”
“How will this enhance their life?”
If the intention can’t be said in one sentence, it’s not clear enough.
2. Assessment
Establish a baseline so progress isn’t guesswork.
“Where are we starting from?”
“What does their normal week look like?”
Collect 7 days of normal behavior before prescribing change.
3. Prescription
Define the exact habit to build.
“What single behavior moves the needle most?”
Keep it binary: done or not done. Avoid ambiguity.
4. Strategy
Map the logistics for execution.
“When, where, and with whom will this happen?”
Example: dog walk 2 miles AM & PM → consistent steps, anchored to existing cues.
5. Time
Give each habit a defined window.
“When will we reassess?”
4–6 weeks: long enough for adaptation, short enough for momentum.
6. Success Markers
Define what “good” looks like, then graduate the tech.
“How will we know this habit is locked in?”
90% compliance or consistent biofeedback → move on.
These six steps create a repeatable coaching rhythm.
They turn “habit change” from a vague idea into a structured process.
Application
Here’s how to put Habits-Based Coaching into action:
1. Pick One Pillar to Strengthen
Don’t try to coach all six at once.
If a new client is overwhelmed, start with Intention and Assessment.
Clarity before complexity.
2. Use Wearables as Training Wheels
Data is useful but it’s not the goal.
Let wearables reveal patterns, then remove them once clients can feel their own rhythm.
When they can sense stress or fatigue without a ring or watch, you’ve won.
3. Program Habits Like Training
Volume = frequency (how often the habit happens)
Intensity = difficulty (how hard the habit is to maintain)
Recovery = how many habits run concurrently
Coach habits the same way you coach lifts progress deliberately.
4. Build It in CoachRx
Create a “Lifestyle” block for each habit
Label each block with the six pillars
Review Success Markers weekly → progress, hold, or pivot
5. Celebrate Autonomy
When a client says:
“I forgot to wear my Oura Ring, but still went to bed at 10 PM,”
you’ve achieved the goal.
That’s not disengagement, that’s graduation.
Close
The true measure of a coach isn’t how complex your dashboard looks.
It’s how unnecessary you become.
When your clients move, sleep, and nourish themselves without thinking because it’s just who they are now, you’ve done your job.
That’s Reliance → Self-Regulation.
That’s the power of Habits-Based Coaching.
Listen to Episode 23 Now
▶️ Watch on YouTube
🎧 Listen on Spotify
📖 Catch up on past episodes + blog recaps
Have questions? DM Carl on Instagram @hardwickcarl
Frameworks is part of the CoachRx Podcast Network, your hub for principled, purpose-driven coaching conversations.
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