Why don’t we do the right thing even when we want to?
When I work with clients on nutrition, the first thing I try to understand deeply isn't what they should be doing, but what they’re doing now. What makes their current choices the easiest, most automatic, most preferred?
Because most people, when given the opportunity, will actually do the right thing.
My job is simply to help them see and create more of those opportunities.
We often assume change means adding more - more knowledge, more recipes, more motivation.
But often, the faster way forward is subtraction, removing what's in the way:
What’s in the way of doing the right thing already?
Why isn’t the right choice the easiest one?
Usually, it comes down to small "design flaws" in your daily routines.
Where do you already get your food?
What’s the default at your coffee shop, your fridge and supermarket, your calendar?
So many times clients would say, "Yeah, I want to eat healthier but I end up eating ice-cream each night."
My question is then, "What does that ice-cream do in your fridge to begin with?"
We all spend time, attention, and energy every day somewhere.
We all do things.
The problem isn’t that we aren’t acting. It’s that our environment is nudging us toward actions that don’t align with what we actually want.
Better health, stronger relationships, deeper focus - these aren’t always about doing more.
They’re often just about designing your life so that the better choice becomes the easiest one.
Motivation is a great spark.
But if you want to sustain a change, consistency comes from design.
And so the most transformational question often is,
What if the right choice became the only available option?
