I'm curious how you'd apply this to something like losing weight, which I've often heard is largely about willpower.
Would you say that it points to your values not being aligned to your stated goal to lose weight? Like, you're saying you want to lose weight but deep down you actually don't?
I realized there’s one piece I didn’t touch on enough: internal alignment.
Yes, sometimes what we say we want and what we actually prioritize aren’t fully in sync. That doesn’t always mean we don’t want the goal, it might just mean we haven’t connected it to something that truly matters to us yet. That’s where purpose comes in.
When your goal aligns with your identity or long-term vision (like being healthy for your kids, or having the energy to pursue meaningful work), motivation becomes more sustainable. You start designing habits and environments that support your goal, instead of relying on brute willpower alone.
This is a great question, and I’ll do my best to honor it with a thoughtful answer.
There are many factors at play with goals like these. Take sugar, for example — it can trigger addictive-like responses. So even if your purpose is strong, like wanting to stay healthy for your kids, you still need to understand your relationship with sugar to make meaningful, sustainable changes.
You can follow diets, sure, but without understanding what you’re putting into your body and how it connects to your deeper goals, the changes may not last. Willpower alone runs out, and there’s scientific evidence to back that up. But when your brain understands the why, the what, and the how, habit reprogramming becomes much easier.
For instance, if you need to lower your cholesterol, your long-term purpose is at risk — heart issues could become a real threat. So awareness around food choices, and even limiting access to certain things at home, can make a huge difference.
I say this from experience, because I’ve lived it.
The same goes for exercise. I’ll admit I’m still working on this one. But if your environment promotes sedentarism, even strong motivation won’t be enough without the right tools and support systems.
I hope this answer does your question justice. It really made me reflect.
I'm curious how you'd apply this to something like losing weight, which I've often heard is largely about willpower.
Would you say that it points to your values not being aligned to your stated goal to lose weight? Like, you're saying you want to lose weight but deep down you actually don't?
I realized there’s one piece I didn’t touch on enough: internal alignment.
Yes, sometimes what we say we want and what we actually prioritize aren’t fully in sync. That doesn’t always mean we don’t want the goal, it might just mean we haven’t connected it to something that truly matters to us yet. That’s where purpose comes in.
When your goal aligns with your identity or long-term vision (like being healthy for your kids, or having the energy to pursue meaningful work), motivation becomes more sustainable. You start designing habits and environments that support your goal, instead of relying on brute willpower alone.
Hope this rounds out my answer more fully!
This is helpful! Thanks for the addition!
This is a great question, and I’ll do my best to honor it with a thoughtful answer.
There are many factors at play with goals like these. Take sugar, for example — it can trigger addictive-like responses. So even if your purpose is strong, like wanting to stay healthy for your kids, you still need to understand your relationship with sugar to make meaningful, sustainable changes.
You can follow diets, sure, but without understanding what you’re putting into your body and how it connects to your deeper goals, the changes may not last. Willpower alone runs out, and there’s scientific evidence to back that up. But when your brain understands the why, the what, and the how, habit reprogramming becomes much easier.
For instance, if you need to lower your cholesterol, your long-term purpose is at risk — heart issues could become a real threat. So awareness around food choices, and even limiting access to certain things at home, can make a huge difference.
I say this from experience, because I’ve lived it.
The same goes for exercise. I’ll admit I’m still working on this one. But if your environment promotes sedentarism, even strong motivation won’t be enough without the right tools and support systems.
I hope this answer does your question justice. It really made me reflect.
Wishing you a wonderful weekend, Katherine!
Love this! Half the battle is setting up the right systems to make discipline easy. Reducing friction and barriers.
Then, aligning those systems with our top values and priorities.
💯. You got it perfectly summarized, Leo.
The less friction, the easier is to walk the path.
Thanks for the wise comment!
You can only push so hard before you burn out. Success is about creating the right environment. Discipline and willpower will only get you so far!
Right on point, Matthieu!
Thanks so much for reading — and for spreading the word! 🙏🙏
Of course, thanks for writing the article 🙃