If You're Not Thriving, Check the Soil
Last weekend, I found myself playing a round of “Botanical Bingo.”
A cozy neighborhood coffee shop. Laughter bouncing off the walls. Their tiny dog Nora weaving through chairs like she owns the place. And in the back? A full-on indoor jungle, all lovingly arranged by our friend Barclay, the local plant whisperer.
Somewhere between a cold brew and a “Bingo!!”, it hit me:
👉 If a plant isn’t thriving, you don’t blame the plant.
You check the soil. The sunlight. The water. You change the environment!
Fitness works the same way.
Struggling to stay consistent? Stuck in a plateau? It’s probably not your motivation—or your willpower.
It’s your environment. And most people miss it completely.
Why Willpower Isn’t the Problem (and What to Fix Instead)
You’re working out. Paying attention to what you eat. You’ve got goals—and you’re actually showing up and trying hard. Really, really hard. So why aren’t the results following?
Here’s what most people overlook: It’s not a discipline issue or a lack of motivation. It’s that your environment isn’t helping you succeed.
We’ve been taught to double down when things get hard. Try harder. Push more. Cut back. But willpower is a terrible long-term strategy. Especially when life gets busy, stressful, or unpredictable. The truth? People don’t succeed because they have more grit. They succeed because they’ve made it easier to follow through—on the right things, more often.
Because when your day gets chaotic (and it always does), you don’t rise to the level of your goals.
👉 You fall to the level of your environment.
If your kitchen’s full of snacks, you’ll reach for snacks. If your workouts aren’t on your calendar, they probably won’t happen. And if everyone around you eats like garbage, it’s going to be hard to order the salad. That’s not weakness. It’s how humans work!
And it’s exactly why we stop blaming the plant—and start improving the soil. Here’s how.
1. Water Your Goals: Stock Your Kitchen for Success
You eat what’s easy. So make the good stuff easy.
The fastest way to improve your habits? Start with a kitchen that works for you, not against you.
If your environment is full of high-protein options, colorful produce, and low-calorie drinks, staying on track becomes way less effort—and way more automatic.
Here’s how to build that kind of kitchen:
🥩 1. Put protein on autopilot
Don’t just have protein—prep it, portion it, and make it visible.
Keep a bin in your fridge labeled “Protein First.” Fill it with go-to options:
Pre-cooked chicken or rotisserie meat
Single-serve Greek yogurts
Boiled eggs in a mason jar
Cottage cheese + fruit pairings
Ready-to-drink protein shakes
Constantly on the go? Automate it with meal delivery or grocery pickup. The less you have to think, the more consistent you’ll be.
🥕 2. Make produce frictionless
You don’t need to eat like a rabbit—you just need fruits and veggies that are ready when you are.
Wash berries before they go in the fridge
Slice peppers, cucumbers, or carrots and store them at eye level
Use frozen steam-in-bag veggies as an easy dinner base
Bonus: pair fruit with protein (berries + yogurt, banana + shake) to curb cravings and keep energy stable.
🥤 3. Upgrade your hydration lineup
Most “snack cravings” are just boredom or dehydration.
Keep flavorful, low-cal options around to break the cycle:
Sparkling water or flavored seltzer
Electrolyte packets (LMNT, Liquid IV, or budget versions)
Unsweetened iced tea or cold brew
Infused water (slice a lemon or throw in mint—you’re worth it)
Build the habit of grabbing a drink first when a craving hits.
🍫 4. Make indulgence intentional—not impulsive
Banning foods backfires. But if they’re easy to reach, they’re easy to overeat.
Use design psychology:
Move chips or sweets out of sight and out of reach—high cabinets, garage pantry, or back of the freezer
Buy smaller portions or single-serve treats
Keep a “slow snack” on hand—something you savor, not inhale (like dark chocolate or trail mix)
You don’t need to be perfect. Just harder to sabotage.
📦 5. Build a friction-proof grocery list
What you keep in your house is what you’ll eat.
Make a go-to grocery list of your “default healthy” foods
Use online ordering to avoid impulse buys
Shop once for the week, not once for the day
You don’t need 100 meal ideas. You need 5 that work every time when life’s chaotic.
Yes—this takes work.
And by “work,” I mean it’ll suck a little at first.
You’ll have to figure out what you actually like. Make a list. Go to the store. Spend the money. Prep the food. Wash the dishes. It’s inconvenient. Sometimes boring. Occasionally frustrating. But you know what’s more frustrating?
Spinning your wheels for years—or decades—feeling stuck, unhealthy, and exhausted by your own habits.
A little effort now is what saves you from a lifetime of feeling behind.
2. Root Yourself: Build Fitness Into Your Life Structure
Your habits grow best in steady soil. And steady soil means structure.
When your routines, schedule, and environment are aligned with your goals, fitness stops feeling like a grind—and starts becoming part of your identity.
Here’s how to create structure that actually helps you stay consistent.
📅 Treat your workouts like meetings that matter
If it’s not on your calendar, it’s optional. Block your training times like you would a client call—and show up the same way.
Pick specific days and times that work consistently, not just ideally
Name the calendar event clearly: “Train for the Life I Want” > “Workout”
Protect that time. Don't leave it up for grabs.
☀️ Train early when you can
Morning workouts aren’t magic—but they are predictable.
Fewer distractions
Less schedule drift
Less decision fatigue at the end of the day
Even 20 minutes in the morning beats skipping it altogether.
Win the day before it even starts.
🔁 Build weekly rhythm, not daily perfection
Structure isn’t about rigid routines—it’s about dependable patterns.
Train on the same 2–4 days each week
Eat at regular intervals to stabilize energy and hunger
Set consistent bed and wake times to improve recovery and reduce cravings
When your life runs on rhythm, your habits follow with less friction.
💡 Know Why It Matters
Motivation wears off. Deadlines end. The scale stops moving.
So what keeps you going?
Your why—the real reason you started this in the first place. Maybe it’s to be around longer for your kids. To feel confident in your skin again. Or just proving to yourself that you can finally follow through.
Whatever it is, define it. Write it down. Come back to it when things get hard. Because they will!
When the routines feel dull and the progress slows, your “why” is what reminds you it’s still worth it.
3. Chase the Sun: Surround Yourself with Support
Plants lean toward the light—and people do too.
You grow faster, stronger, and more consistently when you're around people who support your goals, not sabotage them. If your circle prioritizes health, growth, and follow-through, it becomes easier to do the same—especially on the hard days.
Here’s how to create a support system that actually helps you grow:
🌱 Curate your inner circle
You don’t need perfect people—just people who want to grow too.
Spend more time with friends, coworkers, or family who encourage your efforts
Limit time with those who mock, tempt, or minimize your goals (even subtly)
Follow social media accounts that teach, inspire, or normalize the lifestyle you’re aiming for
Your environment isn’t just physical—it’s social.
📲 Set up structured accountability
Accountability isn’t pressure—it’s protection. It keeps your goals visible and your habits consistent.
Use weekly text check-ins with a friend who’s working on similar goals
Share your progress in a group chat or private fitness community
Set reminders in a shared calendar or app (like HabitShare or Google Calendar)
Hire a coach who knows how to guide, adapt, and keep you honest
Make your progress visible to someone other than yourself.
🏋️ Train with others (if that fuels you)
If you’re a social exerciser, lean into it.
Find a training partner—even if it’s just once a week
Join a gym, class, or online group where consistency is contagious
Use apps like Strava or Apple Fitness to track movement with friends
The right people make hard things feel normal.
☀️ Be the light for someone else
Support isn’t just something to receive—it’s something to give.
Invite a friend to join you for a walk, a workout, or a healthy meal
Share your wins (and struggles) so others know they’re not alone
Offer encouragement instead of advice—most people just need to feel seen
The more light you give, the more you reflect back.
Care for Yourself Like You Care for a Plant (or Your Dog, or Kid, etc.)
Think about how you treat a plant you want to grow. You don’t drown it with too much water. You don’t leave it sitting in the dark. You don’t forget about it for weeks. Instead, you give it what it needs—sunlight, water, good soil—and a little patience.
Your body and health deserve that same kind of care.
For many, that mindset is hard to embrace. We’re used to pushing, judging, or even ignoring ourselves when things get tough. But remember—if you want to grow stronger, healthier, and happier, you can’t treat yourself like an afterthought.
Treat yourself with kindness. Listen to your needs. Adjust your environment and habits so they support you, not hold you back. Be patient with your progress, just like you would wait for a plant to bloom.
When you care for yourself like you care for a plant—or a pet, or a child—you set the stage for real growth.
And that growth? It’s worth the wait.
Best,
John
P.S. We tried these non-alcoholic drinks last week. Not sure if I love them or hate them—but they intrigued me enough to buy more, so here we are.
3 Steps You Can Take
Apply for coaching - If you’re ready to start, you can fill out a coaching application here (it takes 90 seconds or less). Best case, you change your life. Worst case, I’ll help you draw up a road map to get closer to your goals.
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Keep learning - You can check out my other articles here. Nobody asked me to, but I’ve spent a ton of time researching everything from artificial sweeteners to saturated fat to testosterone and more, so you don’t have to.
