Let’s play a quick thought game.
Picture yourself 5 years from now.
Same house. Same job. Maybe even the same weekly routine. But are you healthier?
If you kept doing exactly what you’re doing now — same eating habits, same activity levels, same stress — where would you be?
Stronger and more energised?
Roughly the same?
Or… has your health slipped backwards?
That’s not meant to scare you — it’s meant to wake you up. Because the truth is: future you is shaped by what you do today. But most of us struggle to act on that idea. Especially when life is busy, our energy is low, and our habits are built around convenience and comfort.
So why is it so hard to make healthier choices, even when we know what we should be doing?
Let’s break it down — and show you how to take back control and make healthier choices, one simple step at a time.
Why We Struggle to Put Ourselves First
Here’s the honest truth: humans are wired for instant gratification.
We don’t like discomfort. We like convenience, comfort, and certainty. We’ll avoid future benefits if it means escaping short-term pain — even if that pain is something as small as cooking a meal, doing a workout, or skipping dessert.
This isn’t a character flaw. It’s how your brain was built.
In his book Thinking, Fast and Slow, Nobel Prize-winning psychologist Daniel Kahneman explains that we have two systems of thinking:
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System 1: Fast, automatic, emotional — it wants the dopamine hit now.
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System 2: Slow, logical, and calculated — it plans for the future but burns energy doing so.
Most of us live in System 1. Especially when we’re stressed, overwhelmed, or exhausted. It’s why we skip the gym, snack late at night, and binge Netflix instead of going to bed.
But here’s the kicker: this short-term mindset costs us dearly in the long run.
Future You is a Real Person — Start Treating Them Like One
Think about this…
When charities show you a photo of a single child in need, you’re more likely to donate than when they tell you “1 million kids are starving.”
Why?
Because we care more about one real person than we do about abstract ideas or numbers.
The same principle applies to your future self.
If you think of future you as a vague concept — “I should start exercising soon” or “I really need to eat better one day” — nothing changes. But if you picture future you like a real person — someone with hopes, fears, and needs — you’ll care more. You’ll act more intentionally. And you’ll stop putting your health on the backburner.
3 Ways to Make Healthier Choices Stick (Even When Life is Busy)
You don’t need to overhaul your life overnight. But you do need to take a few important steps that help you make decisions not just for now… but for the you you’re becoming.
1. Start Small — But Start Now
Changing your habits doesn’t mean becoming a gym junkie or cutting out carbs forever.
It means doing one small thing today that helps you feel proud tomorrow.
Walk 10 minutes after dinner.
Prep lunch instead of buying it.
Do a workout — even if it’s just 20 minutes.
Drink a glass of water before your coffee.
These micro-habits are the building blocks of transformation. Over time, they compound.
And the key? Learn to associate these habits with how good you feel after.
Start to crave the post-walk feeling. The post-workout confidence. The peace that comes from eating well. Build habits that make you feel better, not worse — and you’ll keep coming back.
2. Build an Identity, Not a To-Do List
Most people try to willpower their way into a healthier lifestyle.
But willpower fades. Identity sticks.
If you see yourself as “someone who never sticks to anything,” guess what? You’ll keep proving yourself right. But if you start seeing yourself as someone who takes care of themselves, and makes healthier choices, everything shifts.
It becomes less about forcing a behaviour, and more about living in alignment with who you want to be.
You’re not going to the gym — you’re living like someone who values their body.
You’re not meal prepping — you’re living like someone who prioritizes their health.
And here’s a trick: if you used to be someone who exercised consistently, tap into that version of you. Reconnect with that confidence. And if you’ve never had that identity? Start creating it now.
One action at a time.
3. Find a Bigger Why
If you’re over 40, chances are you’re doing a lot for everyone else — your family, your job, your community.
But what if the best way to keep showing up for them… is by becoming a healthier you?
In Man’s Search for Meaning, Viktor Frankl writes about how humans can survive incredible hardship if they have a purpose bigger than themselves. Your journey to a healthier you needs a bigger “why” than just fitting into jeans or hitting a number on the scale.
Maybe you want to run around with your grandkids.
Maybe you want to feel proud when you look in the mirror.
Maybe you want to show your kids what self-respect looks like.
Whatever it is — name it. And remind yourself of it often.
Your Future Self is Relying on You
Here’s the tough love moment:
If you keep putting making healthier choices off, your future self pays the price.
Not tomorrow. But five years from now — when energy is low, pain has crept in, weight has piled on, and confidence has faded.
The good news?
Every healthier choice you make today has a ripple effect. Your future self is shaped by your current actions. You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to be intentional.
Start with one change.
Keep showing up, keep making healthier choices — especially on the days you don’t feel like it.
And soon, the version of you who once struggled will become the version of you who doesn’t even think twice about making the healthy choice.
Want Help Getting Started?
At The Performance Hub, we help everyday people over 40 build strength, energy, and confidence — without crash diets or gym intimidation. Our proven process meets you where you’re at and supports you every step of the way.
👉 If you’re ready to make your future self proud, click here to learn more and book your free intro session.
