In the world of health and transformation, there is a front-row seat to observing human behaviour — and it never stops being fascinating. Sometimes people are predictable and consistent. Other times, they are utterly unpredictable. And then there are those moments in between where it’s a mix of both. But there is one thing that seems to remain universal:
Everyone wants it all.
People want the ripped body, but they also want the liberty of eating anything and everything they desire. They want the finances and the freedom but aren’t willing to build the businesses or systems required to earn it. They want the rewards without the costs. The results without the sacrifice.
But here’s the reality – wanting it all comes with pros and cons. There is always a cost. And nowhere is this more obvious than in how people live their lives during the week compared to the weekend.
The Weekend Mentality
Take a look at the typical week for most people. Especially here in Australia, we work Monday to Friday, counting down the days until the weekend. Friday night hits, and it’s like a collective sigh of relief – finally, the weekend is here. Time to escape reality, to live life, to “be free.”
It’s the same cycle we learned at school. Monday was dreaded, Friday was celebrated, and the weekend was for release. As adults, nothing much has changed. We carry the same pattern – working for the weekend.
And what does the weekend involve? Food. Drinks. Celebrations. Social gatherings. Connection. Bonding. Eating. Drinking. Being merry.
But in all of this, people park their goals to the side. Their fitness journey, health aspirations, body goals, performance targets – they get disassided (yes, it should be a word) because food and celebration come first. They wake up on Sunday morning feeling flat, sluggish, hungover, and guilty. They eat more to soothe it. And then, Sunday night rolls around and the motivation kicks back in.
“This week is going to be my week.”
They scroll through their feed, seeing shredded physiques, disciplined athletes, and inspiring trainers, and they declare:
“I’m going to look like that. I’m going to do what they do.”
But here’s what they don’t realise about those people they want to emulate:
They Don’t Live Like You Do
Those people you admire don’t deviate like that. They don’t write the weekend off. They don’t grind from Monday to Friday and then erase it all in two days. They don’t treat their goals like a part-time hobby. Their physique, their health, their discipline – it is who they are, 24/7. They don’t start over every Monday. They never stopped in the first place.
They choose their goals first, before what feels good in the moment. They choose the delayed gratification of growth, strength, and health over the instant pleasure of junk food and alcohol. And that’s why they look the way they do. That’s why they perform the way they do.
The Truth That Stings
If you’re living your life in seasons – disciplined during the week, indulgent on the weekend, then back to “starting again” on Monday – you will achieve nothing. You will stay stuck. And each week you repeat this pattern, you drift further from your goals.
Nothing changes. In fact, it often gets worse. Your confidence drops. Your belief in yourself erodes. And the mountain you need to climb gets taller with every failed Monday reset.
Here’s the thing:
You’ve been doing everything you’ve been doing up until now – and it’s given you exactly what you’ve got. It keeps giving you the same results, week in, week out, year after year. Yet where is that moment where you stop and question your approach? Because for many, it never comes. There’s this delusional thinking that eventually, one day, somehow, it’s just going to happen. But it’s not going to happen.
Most people never deal with the very cause of the matter – the habits and patterns that have led them to where they are today. They don’t want to say goodbye to the things they believe bring them pleasure, comfort, and familiarity. Yet it’s often those very things keeping them stuck.
And as long as you’re okay with not getting the results you’re after, then fine – keep going as you are. But at some point, there needs to be compromise. There needs to be sacrifice. At some point, you need to pay the price to achieve what you want. Otherwise, you will always end up repeating the same seasonal patterns, year after year.
Somebody once said that we actually waste six months of every year doing the exact same things time and time again. Think about it. The birthdays you go to, the celebrations, the public holidays, the routines – everything you repeat, like clockwork. Six months out of every year, gone to the same patterns, with nothing changing. It’s no wonder people don’t get anywhere in life.
Let that sink in.
The Only Way Forward
It’s only when you make your goals your number one priority – in the midst of your day-to-day, moment-to-moment reality – that things start to change. When your goals become non-negotiable, everything else begins to align. You start building your lifestyle around your goals, instead of trying to fit your goals around your lifestyle.
And that’s the shift that creates success in health and fitness – and in life.
So ask yourself:
Are you building your life around your goals?
Or are you letting your life dictate whether your goals get achieved?
Because until you make that choice, your dreams will always remain just that – dreams.
