The Hidden Cost of Chasing Goals

Through 15 years as a fitness coach, I’ve been asked constantly about all of the latest stuff that’s out there on the market.

Look — these aren’t bad questions.

But you don’t need answers from me.

What you need is a better decision-making process — one that helps you come up with your own answers.

The Trap of “When/Then” Thinking

Most of the decision-making I see is built on a When/Then paradigm:

In fitness, it’s arbitrary.

People think losing 10 pounds of fat or adding 5 pounds of muscle is going to solve all of their confidence issues.

For years, I helped people reach those outcomes… only to find that hitting the goal rarely created any lasting change in their mental state.

They’d achieve the goal — and still feel miserable.

Here’s why:

They’re using the When/Then paradigm.

But because of how our brains are wired…
The then never shows up.

That’s moving goalpost syndrome.

Enter: The Hedonistic Treadmill

This is called hedonistic adaptation.

When we achieve a goal — or get a new car, or a new house — we feel a temporary spike in happiness.

Then our happiness levels return to normal.

Our “new life” becomes our new baseline.

And we’re left at the start again…

Back in the When/Then loop — thinking the next goal will finally make us happy for good.

Of course, it doesn’t.

And so we’re stuck on the Hedonistic Treadmill — always chasing.

The Shift: From Happiness to Fulfillment

This is why I don’t put too much stock in goals or happiness anymore.

Instead, I chase Fulfillment and Peace.

Happiness is fleeting.

The thrill of achievement is short-lived.

But Fulfillment and Peace are like a snowball rolling downhill —
They swell and grow after you unleash them.

Fulfillment comes from aligning your actions with who you believe yourself to be at your core.

In other words — it’s about what you do day in and day out,
Not what you accomplish.

That creates a durable sense of internal peace — one not dependent on external achievement.

The Energy Behind the Work

Whether you’re chasing goals or seeking fulfillment, the behavior might look the same from the outside.

You still set your sights, make a plan, and show up day after day.

But the energy behind it?

Completely different.

• Chasing energy is exhausting. It leads to burnout and frustration.
  

• Alignment energy is renewable. When your actions match your identity, motivation becomes natural.

  
  Showing up feels like flow, not grind.

3 Shifts to Move from Chasing → Alignment

1. Goal Achievement → Continued Growth
Goal achievement says: You must accomplish X before you can feel good.

Fulfillment says: Growth is who I am.
Achievement becomes a byproduct — a milestone of progress, not a trophy to chase.

2. Novelty → Depth
When we chase happiness, we chase novelty — new hacks, new toys, new dopamine hits.

But Fulfillment is found in mastery — sticking with the “boring” stuff long enough to embody it.

Depth > novelty. Repetition builds identity.

3. External Validation → Internal Reinforcement
External achievements feel good, sure. But they surrender your locus of control to something external.

Shift inward. Let your reward be the act itself.
Every rep, every choice, every promise kept says:

So… Should You Do Peptides, TRT, or Supplements?

I dunno, man. That depends.

If you think they’re “the answer” — the magic fix for your confidence,

Or a shortcut to getting jacked without doing the work —
You’re gonna be disappointed.

But…

If you’ve got a clear picture of who you want to grow into,
You’ve laid the foundation,
And you’ve started walking that path —
Then yeah, those might be good tools.

Because it’s not the answer that matters —
It’s the decision-making behind it that makes all the difference.

If This Hit Home…

Let me know. I’d love to hear more about what alignment means to you. Feel free to reply to this email…I read every single reply.

Much Love,