“Man, I just can’t muster the discipline like I used to…”

You ever had that thought?

It can hit in all kinds of areas.

For me, it was business. I started my training career in my 20s. Opened my own facility by 28.

And I worked tirelessly.

First session at 5am.

Last one wrapped at 8pm.

Not back-to-back clients the whole way—on breaks, I cleaned the gym, did the books, hit networking events, wrote marketing emails.

I worked every evening.

Every Saturday.

Most Sundays were spent on admin or playing catch-up.

I kept that pace for nearly a decade.

Missed family events. Skipped social gatherings. Burned the candle at both ends.

And then… things started to shift.

I had kids at 35. A year later, COVID shut down my gym.

I moved to Texas, and before I knew it, I turned 40.

And I slowed down.

It’s not like I decided to slow down. I just… did.

Something in me shifted. I needed personal time- something I had not given myself much of in the previous decade.

I needed quiet, stillness.

I needed conversations with my wife that aren’t about business.

But here’s what I was telling myself during that shift:

That I was soft.

Comfortable.

Lazy.

I beat myself up.

Kept thinking, “I just need to find the discipline I used to have…”

Maybe you haven’t had this exact experience—but if you’re nearing 40 or crossed that line a few years ago, I’d bet your pace has started to shift too.

And maybe you’ve caught yourself talking shit internally:

“I used to be so disciplined…”

Here’s what I want to share with you today:

That shift is normal.

In fact, it follows a pattern I’ll break down.

You don’t lack discipline—you just apply it differently now.

You’ve got just as much (maybe more) than you ever had.

I’ll show you what discipline looks like at 35, 40, and beyond—and how to channel it toward your fitness… and every other part of your life.

Shifting Priorities

Usually when people come to me and say they’re struggling with discipline, it’s because they’re viewing themselves through an old lens.

They think that because they’re not working out 6 days a week anymore, they’ve somehow lost their edge.

The reality?

Most of these same folks are MORE disciplined and MORE productive than they’ve ever been—it just looks different.

Sure, they might be struggling to get to the gym… but they also carry a lot more weight in their career.

They’ve become competent. They’re in demand. They’re running teams, managing budgets, leading businesses.

On top of that, their personal lives are a world apart from their 20s. They’ve got partners, kids, a home.

When we’re young and single, we answer to no one. But by 35 or 40, we’re responsible for others—at work and at home.

Your priorities shift. And how you spend your time shifts accordingly.

This doesn’t mean you can’t get into the best shape of your life in your 30s or 40s.

But it does mean you need to update your lens.

It’s Normal to Shift Gears

It’s completely normal for our values, motives, and purpose to change as life evolves.

I guess I knew that, logically.

But I didn’t feel it—until Dr. Jeff Spencer helped me make sense of it.

We were on a ski trip—eight business owners and Dr. Jeff, our trusted "cornerman." He shared what he calls the Life Lens Progression.

I had just turned 40. I was struggling to understand why I didn’t seem to have the discipline I used to.

Dr. Jeff gave me something better than motivation—he gave me a new lens.

Life Lens Progression

Here’s how it typically plays out:

In your 30s, life is about building. 

You’re fueled by a deep need to make your mark, to prove yourself, and to accumulate—skills, money, status, purpose.

You chase growth with intensity and urgency. You’re driven by conquest. You want to acquire and validate.

That hit me like a ton of bricks.

In my 30s, I had something to prove. I built a business from scratch. I wanted to provide for my family. And underneath it all, I had a massive chip on my shoulder.

I needed to validate myself.

That chip gave me tenacity—I simply wouldn’t quit.

But now? That motive had faded.

I wasn’t trying to conquer anymore.

I wasn’t proving anything.

I wanted peace of mind.

That is because in your 40s, the energy shifts. You’ve already proven you can go hard. You’ve accomplished a lot. Now you crave order—you want to streamline, simplify, and protect what matters.

Instead of conquest, you start craving harmony.

Instead of acquiring more, you want to deepen what you already have.

You’re not as interested in validation—you want alignment.

And with that shift, efficiency becomes the new superpower.

You can’t afford to waste time or energy anymore. You need to focus on what moves the needle. You need smarter systems, stronger boundaries, and more clarity about what actually matters.

And once I saw it through that lens? Everything made sense.

I had more responsibilities and more capability—but also more constraints. Time and energy were finite.

I hadn’t lost my edge.

I wasn’t soft.

I was stepping into a bigger life—and I needed a smarter way to operate.

Maybe this lands for you too.

Two Traps That Steal Your Discipline

I just shared with you an example about business and career…but the concept applies to fitness as well.

I’m going to share with you two traps that I see people fall into with their fitess that pulls them off course…

But the concepts are universal- these concepts can be carried over into business, parenting or just about any other area of life.

Trap 1: Chasing Entertainment Over Results

You see some flashy workout on Instagram—weird setups with bands, “fat burning finishers” or really cool looking core exercises—and think, “Maybe I should be doing that…”

But let’s be honest: most of the time, that urge is just boredom dressed up as inspiration.

Novelty feels productive.

But it’s not.

It’s just entertainment.

Results come from boring training.

They come from repeating simple things.

Progressing over time.

Staying consistent.

If you want to be efficient with your energy, ask:

"What’s the outcome I’m aiming for? And is this training decision measurably moving me closer to it?"

If not, cut it.

Trap 2: Skipping the Basics for “Advanced” Work

A lot of guys think that just because they’ve done something before, they’ve got it locked in for life.

But that’s not how habits work.

You might have lifted consistently five years ago.

You might have dialed in your nutrition at one point.

But if you haven’t been doing it recently—if you haven’t put in reps and stacked consistency—those skills fade.

Trying to leap ahead to the next level without re-establishing the basics is like building a second story on a house with a crumbling foundation.

Most people move too fast. They rush to optimize, complicate, or “level up” before the base layer is solid.

And every time they do that? The habit falls apart. Again.

No new exercise program or peptide can cover up for habits you haven’t earned.

In your 40s, progress comes from owning the fundamentals—and respecting the process of rebuilding them when needed.

A Smarter Way to Train:

The Stair-Step Method

Once you stop chasing hype and start thinking in terms of energy efficiency…

You’re ready for a better system.

The Stair-Step Method

Here’s how it works:

1. Focus on 1–2 things at a time.
   Change costs bandwidth. That’s the steep part of the stair—it takes effort, attention, and intention.

2. Then the stair flattens.
   The habit sticks. The change becomes automatic. You’re no longer thinking about it—it just runs in the background.

3. Reclaim bandwidth. Move forward.
   Once the new behavior is locked in, you shift your focus to the next 1–2 priorities. And repeat.

Each habit starts as a change. That takes effort. 

But with time and reps, it becomes a habit.

Once it’s automatic, you reclaim that mental bandwidth—and that’s when you stack the next win.

It might feel slow at first.

But give it 3, 6, 12 months?

You’ll have transformed your body and habits—without burning out.

And more importantly… you’ll still have energy left for your life.

A Real-Life Example: Stair-Stepping Your Fitness Foundation

Let me show you what this looks like in practice.

Step 1: Protein and Lifting

We start with the most impactful, lowest-friction habits: getting enough protein and lifting weights.

Protein is an easy entry point to nutrition. It doesn’t require restriction—just the discipline to get enough.

Lifting doesn’t have to be perfect. Just show up. Get familiar with the training process and my coaching style.

The questions that come up along the way? That’s where the coaching conversations happen. That’s where you learn.

Step 2: Calorie Ceiling and Steps

Once protein and lifting are rolling, we layer in the next two pieces.

• A calorie ceiling builds on what you’re already tracking. No new skills—just a little more restraint.

• A daily step goal requires a bit more time—but the effort is low. Just move your body more.

Step 3: Zone 2 Cardio

Now that walking is part of your routine, we elevate the intensity slightly.

A couple times per week, we shift those walks into low-intensity cardio sessions. No more time needed—just a little more intention.

This is how the basics—when followed properly—can completely transform your body in just a few months.

No overwhelm. No overhaul. Just smart progression.

Imagine how different you’d feel:

• Hitting your nutrition goals with ease

• Moving your body daily

• Lifting 3x per week—without burnout

It wouldn’t feel hard.

It would feel like momentum.

And that’s the goal.

Final Thought

Discipline at this stage of life isn’t about intensity.

It’s about intentionality.

You don’t need to overhaul everything.

You just need to move with purpose.

Start with what matters most.
Stack the wins.
Let time do the rest.

Ready to Put This Into Action?

If this message landed for you—and you're tired of grinding without results—here’s exactly what to do:

Reply to this email and let me know:

• What you're currently doing for your training and nutrition

• What you've tried in the past

From there, we’ll set up a time to talk and map out a plan to get you unstuck.

No pressure. No gimmicks. Just a clear path forward.

Let’s build something sustainable—and powerful.

Much Love,