make exercise effortless

you know you should exercise. you've known for years. you've started and stopped more times than you can count. the problem isn't motivation. the problem is friction.

why willpower fails

every fitness plan that relies on willpower has an expiration date. willpower is a finite resource that depletes throughout the day. the plan that requires you to drive 20 minutes to a gym, change clothes, spend an hour working out, shower, and drive home will always lose to the couch on a bad day.

so stop fighting human nature and start engineering around it.

remove every barrier

the most effective exercise is the exercise that actually happens. and the exercise that actually happens is the one that's easiest to start:

put a stationary bike next to your bed and pedal for 10 minutes the moment you wake up. you're on it before your brain can generate excuses
play your favorite sport with friends. when exercise is social and fun, it doesn't feel like a chore. it feels like something you look forward to
walk the dog. you're already going outside. you're already moving. extend the route
bodyweight exercises in your living room. no commute, no gear, no membership. just you and the floor

the goal is to make the gap between "thinking about exercise" and "doing exercise" as close to zero as possible.

the compound effect of easy

ten minutes of easy daily exercise beats an ambitious 90-minute gym plan that you abandon in three weeks. the person who does pushups and walks every single day for a year will be in better shape than the person who does intense gym sessions sporadically.

consistency trumps intensity. always. and the path to consistency is removing friction until the default behavior becomes movement.

your move

look at your daily routine. where can you insert movement with zero additional effort? what's the absolute lowest-friction physical activity you could do right now? start there. make it so easy that not doing it would feel weird.

if this resonated, share it with someone who needs to hear it.