👋 Hey. Welcome to issue #151 of The Everyday Athlete Newsletter.
Here are my 3 favourite ideas, learns and resources to help you improve your performance this week (4 min read):
🧠 You're on autopilot
Our bodies are deeply wired to keep us alive.
And one way it does this is by conserving energy (unsuccessful hunts, famine, little food... our bodies had to adapt).
And one way it conserves energy is by activating autopilot mode (don't know if that's the evolutionary biology term).
It starts with a conscious decision.
Then we make that same decision again.
And again.
Before long, we’ve got ourselves a pattern... The body doesn’t want to spend energy re-making the same decision every time. So it automates it. The choice becomes subconscious.
Ice cream after dinner — "I had a sh*tty day, I deserve it"
Ice cream after dinner — "That was elite last night"
Ice cream after dinner — "F*ck yeah it's thursday"
...
Ice cream after dinner — "☁️ " (no thought. now habit)
Here's the thing:
Our current reality is a reflection of the patterns we keep repeating.
The choices we've normalised.
And the beliefs we’ve internalised.
Because patterns don’t just conserve energy. They also confirm identity.
The more we repeat the behaviour, the more it feels true.
Until we’re not just doing the thing...
We believe it’s who we are.
“I scroll instead of sleeping” > becomes > “I’m not very disciplined.”
“I plan to train but keep snoozing” > becomes > “I’m lazy.”
“I eat crap at night” > becomes > “I have no self-control.”
The beliefs we hold about ourselves shape our identity.
And that identity guides every decision we make.
So how do we shift the pattern — and, in turn, the beliefs and identity behind it?
1. 🔍 We build awareness.
We start catching those little moments... the skipped sessions, the phone scroll when morning-you is shouting "go to sleep ya bastard", the chocky bar at the servo every time you get petrol...
2. ✋ Then we interrupt them.
But not with guilt. Just a pause. Maybe a breath (the physiological sigh works really well here).
"Between stimulus and response lies a space. In that space lie our freedom and power to choose a response. In our response lies our growth and our happiness." — Victor Frankl
3. 💪 And finally, we embody the version of us we're trying to become.
“If I already believed I was someone who loved looking after my body, truly cared about my health and how I show up in the world… What choice would I make here?”
Sounds too simple. But that’s the path.
- 🔍 Awareness (catch: make subconscious... conscious)
- ✋ Interruption (pause: physiological sigh)
- 💪 Embodiment (choose: make decision from future you)
Small, conscious shifts.
Done repeatedly.
Over time, we rewrite the pattern.
And eventually, rewrite the story.
🥛 Sick of protein shakes?
I'm getting pretty sick of my protein powder.
Shakes. Smoothies. Just not doing it for me right now.
But there's still a good month of powder in the tub until I can run a new flavour...
So I've been experimenting with some super simple balls you can zing up in a few minutes.
That I'm quite addicted to.
Best batch so far looks like:
- 🐄 scoop protein powder
- 🥄 tbsp psyllium husk
- 🧈 tbsp peanut butter
- 🍯 tsp honey
- 🫘 tsp cinnamon
- 💧 1/3 cup water (adjust so it's right amount of gooey)
Mix it all up.
Roll into 3 balls.
You can raw dog them as is (but better after a quick blast in the freezer).
For a 33g protein + 5g fibre hit. Boom.
No weird ingredients. No blender. No cleanup.
Bueno.
🌊 The (dis)comfort matrix
We are materially more comfortable than ever... but emotionally more uncomfortable than ever.
Heard a version of that on a podcast.
I drew the visual below —a real artistic masterpiece.
Acute physical discomfort = emotional comfort.
Push it up on the airbike. Walk without the phone. Maybe a winter swim.
Not for punishment.
For peace.
Because if we train stress on purpose, we'll be better prepared for the stress we don’t get to choose.
That's it!
Have a great weekend 🤙
Matt
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The Everyday Athlete Newsletter is not a licensed health service nor a substitute for professional health advice, treatment or assessment. The information shared in this email is general and written for a specific audience. If you’re struggling, please see a healthcare professional.
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