Hey :) 

I’ve been thinking about something recently and I don’t have the whole answer yet — but I know there’s something important in it.

It’s this idea that goals don’t really do the work.

Rules do.

And more specifically — a decision does.

Last August I decided I wanted to lose some body fat and get leaner.

Like most people, I did the research.
Lists of foods to avoid.
Training plans.
Macros.
Routines.

But in practice, none of that was what made the difference.

What actually carried me through was one simple decision, expressed as a rule:

I don’t eat refined sugar.

Once that decision was made, there was nothing to decide in the moment.

That rule quietly removed almost everything I shouldn’t be eating.

It meant:

I kept losing weight because the decision had already been made.

Same thing with the gym.

I’ve got a clear picture of where I want my strength to be by the end of the year, but I don’t think about that much when I’m training.

I just follow a few rules.

One is very simple:
If the weight feels hard, that’s good.
If it doesn’t, increase it.

Another: Train like you want to be able to come back tomorrow.

That decision stops me chasing failure, stops me getting injured, and means I can train three times a week for a year instead of burning out after six weeks.

No overthinking.
No constant recalibration.
Just turning up and doing the work.

I realised this shows up elsewhere in my life too.

I don’t drink alcohol. I haven’t for nearly eight years.

There’s no debate, no “just this once,” no negotiation depending on the situation.
A decision was made a long time ago.

Same with what I wear.

I own multiples of the same shirts, the same trousers, the same socks and pants.

Not because I’m trying to be minimalist — but because it removes another layer of daily decision-making.

These aren’t habits I have to maintain.

They’re decisions that have been locked in, expressed as rules.

They act like filters.
They remove friction.
They eliminate the need to decide when your energy is better spent elsewhere.

And I’m noticing that wherever things feel calmer, simpler, and more consistent in my life, it’s usually because a clear decision has already been made.

I’m still figuring this out, but I’m curious:

What decisions could you make once — and turn into rules — that would make the outcome you want almost inevitable?

Not something you have to keep choosing.
Something you’ve already decided.

🗣️ 👀 

Chris