Training teaches us discomfort has a payoff.

You do a session you didn’t want to do. It’s tough. But afterwards, you feel better. Not just physically — there’s also the satisfaction that you showed up and did something you didn’t fancy.

That’s a lesson we accept easily in the gym.

But outside the gym, we forget it.

A lot of my growth and maturity over the last few years didn’t come from training. It came from putting myself in situations I’d normally avoid.

The Hard Thing Isn’t Always Training

The gym works well as a teacher because feedback is obvious.

Something feels hard. You keep showing up. It gets easier. You make it harder again.

Stress, recover, adapt.

A lot of the time, the most useful part isn’t the adaptation. It’s what you learn about yourself along the way — that you can be uncomfortable and keep going. That you’re not made of glass and can hold yourself together when things get tough.

But we often overlook the social side of it—and for some people, the heaviest weight isn’t one they lift. It’s walking through the doors of the gym and stepping into a social setting they don’t feel comfortable in.

I see this a lot with new members. First class, they’re quiet, nervous, and watching everyone else. They’re not sure where to stand or what they’re really doing. Sometimes, I feel like I can see them deciding whether they’ll come back.

But, a few weeks later they’re chatting away and getting stuck in.

One of our EPIC members told me recently that they’re a complete introvert, but in the same conversation said that they love training with the group. Yeah, they don’t say much in class, but they don’t need to. They enjoy it, and every now and then chat to the others or myself.

That’s the point. You don’t have to become a different person to enjoy the benefits of group training. You don’t need to be at the center of the community, chatting to everyone and taking photos.

All you need to do is expand your comfort zone. For some, that might mean adding weight to the bar. But for many, it’s simply joining a class or the gym in the first place.

Key Takeaway: I get that not everyone is an extrovert, and for some people the idea of group training sounds worse than the session itself. But I also think “I’m just not that type of person” can sometimes become a very convenient hiding place. You don’t need to talk the whole way through class, be the center of the group, or suddenly become someone else. You just need to show up, be respectful, and train.

Confidence Comes After

I’ve mentioned before I’m a lot more confident than I used to be.

It came from repeatedly doing things I wasn’t comfortable doing, and finding out I could handle them.

Yes—having 25 amateur boxing fights, travelling to different gyms for spars (sometimes without your coach), and all the running and Hyrox races, along with all the training that went into it.

But it also included things like this:

• Going to a wedding where I only knew the bride or groom.

• Taking a few holidays on my own.

• Dinner out for 1 (don’t use your phone for the entire meal — it’s hard).

• Being in unfamiliar places where I had to talk to strangers.

I probably enjoy the graft a bit too much sometimes (chasing the dragon — it’s good shit). The physical stuff hasn’t been the difficult part for me, so I’ve had to be deliberate about finding things outside of the gym that make me uncomfortable.

I’ve noticed the same pattern with all the difficult things I’ve done: confidence comes after doing uncomfortable things, not before.

I think that’s where a lot of us get stuck. We wait to feel ready, but that feeling never comes because it’s not something you get. It’s something you earn it by doing the thing.

I’m not saying everything needs to be a challenge. There’s no prize for making life harder than it needs to be. But there’s a difference between resting and avoiding, and most of us know which one we’re doing.

Key Takeaway: I think we all have areas of our lives where we’re happy to embrace some discomfort, and others where we’re quick to avoid it. If we’re honest with ourselves, we can all find something we’re avoiding that could be a fulfilling challenge to take on.

Simple or Stuck

When people think about doing hard things with food, they usually think about restriction. Eating less. Cutting things out.

But for a lot of people, food habits can be another hidden comfort zone.

I was a picky little shite with my food when I was growing up. I didn’t like much colour on my plate; everything needed to be dry (don’t you come near my plate with sauce Mum!). And different foods touching on my plate? Fack off.

If I’m honest, it probably wasn’t until my early 20s that I grew out of a lot of those habits (to be fair, I didn’t mind a bit of sauce by then—depends on the sauce though; to this day I despise ketchup).

I got over a lot of it by putting myself slightly out of my comfort zone and trying new stuff. I was never a salad person, or someone who ate much fruit and veg. And the first few times, it wasn’t great. But it’s like your first pint of Guinness: the first sip is rotten. Over time, it grows on you—and you start to enjoy it.

I’m aware saying all of this kind of goes against my nutrition philosophy of keeping things simple. Same breakfast, same two or three dinners throughout the week, etc. I’m all for keeping nutrition simple—but there’s a difference between simple and stuck.

Cooking something you’ve never made. Eating a food you’ve decided you don’t like. Ordering something different. Trying different ingredients in a regular meal you make. None of it is difficult, but it all feels slightly unfamiliar, which is why it doesn’t happen.

Key Takeaway: This won’t apply to everyone. But if you know you don’t eat much fruit or veg, or you’re a bit of a picky eater, that’s probably not something to just accept as “the way you are”. It’s something worth working on. Not by overhauling everything overnight — just by nudging yourself slightly out of the same few foods you always default to.

Reflection Questions

• If you look at your life — training, food, work, relationships, confidence, social situations — where are the growth opportunities?

• What are you avoiding because it’s unfamiliar, not because it’s wrong for you?

• Are you actually happy with your food, or just comfortable with the same meals, same ingredients, and the same “I just don’t like that” excuse?

• What would you do this week if you trusted yourself to handle being uncomfortable?

What I’m Working On

Training is where I’m most comfortable being uncomfortable.

The harder ones for me are the situations I can’t plan or control — new environments, people I don’t know, things where there’s no session to follow. And of course, ketchup…

This year, I’ve been trying to remind myself that doing hard things doesn’t always mean training harder. For me especially, sometimes the most uncomfortable thing I can do is stop training.

I remember going to my friend’s wedding two years ago, and it was only on the drive there that it hit me: “Fuck, I actually don’t really know anyone else at this.”

I started thinking of an excuse not to go.

I’d also originally planned not to drink, but when I arrived, my brain immediately went: getting very drunk will definitely help here.

I didn’t bother in the end. And as it turned out, it was one of the best weekends of my year.

That’s the kind of thing I want to keep pushing myself towards. Not because every weekend needs to become a personal development exercise, but because I know how easy it is to dress avoidance up as “that’s just not my thing”.

The gym teaches you that discomfort leads somewhere. That’s why it works. But it’s not the only place that lesson applies, and it’s not where a lot of people need it most.

If you’re already someone who trains hard, maybe the next bit of growth isn’t adding more weight, more sessions, or another event to the calendar. Maybe it’s putting yourself in a social situation you’d normally avoid. Trying something new with your food. Having the conversation. Going somewhere on your own. Doing the thing without needing to feel ready first.

And if you don’t go to the gym at all, for whatever reason, maybe that’s your uncomfortable thing. Taking the leap, joining the class, walking through the doors, and finding out it’s not as bad as the version you’ve built up in your head.

Most of us are more capable than we think.

The only way to find that out is to go and test it.

Exploring Coaching Options?

If you’ve been thinking about getting a bit more structure with your training, there are a few ways I can help.

We’ve got a small number of spaces left in our EPIC training program in Stepaside.

EPIC is for people who want to build strength, improve fitness, and be part of a focused group environment without having to figure everything out on their own.

If you’re curious, reach out and you can come in for a trial session.

I also have online and hybrid coaching options available for anyone who doesn’t necessarily need every session in-person, but still wants guidance, accountability, and someone to chat to about their training.

That might mean:

• A clear training structure

• Help knowing what to do each week

• Feedback and adjustments when life gets busy

• Support with building confidence in the gym

• A plan that actually fits your goals and schedule

You don’t need to overcomplicate it.

Sometimes the biggest difference is simply having a plan, knowing why you’re doing it, and having someone in your corner to help you stay on track.

If you’re exploring coaching options, send me a message and we can chat through what would suit you best.

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The health & fitness industry is full of opinions. I’ve got plenty of my own—I wouldn’t be much use to anyone if I didn’t, and I’d be shit craic to talk to.

Most of my opinions on training, nutrition, and life come from doing the thing. I’ve had the fights, run the races, tried the diets—and I’m still trying out different training methods.

Ultimately, I’ve made mistakes and done my best to correct them—or, at the very least, I’ve spotted where I went wrong.

But if I’m honest, I still catch myself holding strong opinions on things I don’t fully understand. Realistically, we all do.

It’s something I think we should manage carefully, because this can be just as useful as any hack or quick fix you think you’ll find.

Where our opinions actually come from

Most of the time, they don’t come from hard, factual evidence. They come from:

• What worked for us once. The most convincing evidence any of us will ever have is our own experience. If you were there and felt it, how can anyone tell you otherwise?

• Who taught us. We inherit the opinions of whoever got to us first, then defend them like they’re our own. In the past, that would most likely have been a parent, coach, or friend. But now, anyone on a podcast can get the first word in.

• What we’ve already put in. Time, money, and ego. The more we’ve invested in a method, the harder it is to hear it might not have been the thing that worked—especially if we feel it has benefited us.

• Discomfort with not knowing. An opinion is a quick way to feel certain, and it feels good. It’s easier to say “that’s a load of shite” than “I don’t know enough about that yet”.

That last one is important. Sometimes we form opinions not because we understand something, but because we don’t like not understanding it.

Opinions are useful. They help us make decisions, connect with others, and sometimes wind someone up (rage baiting — it’s brilliant). There’s nothing wrong with having an opinion; it’s human nature.

The problem is when opinions stop being theories and become part of who we are. Then we’re not trying to find what’s true anymore. We’re just letting our ego protect the version of ourselves that believed it in the first place.

Nutrition: is it a principle, or is it a preference?

Opinions about food can bring out the best and worst in people. For some, a diet isn’t just something they follow; it’s something they become—carnivore, vegan, fasting, no carbs.

A good way to sort it out is simple: principles or preferences?

Principles are the things that hold up no matter who you are: eating enough protein, mostly whole foods, enough fibre, calories that match your goal, and sticking to it long enough to matter.

Preferences are everything else: how many meals you eat, when you eat them, what you cut out or restrict, what you like/dislike.

Preferences aren’t wrong—they allow us align our diet with principles. Two people can eat completely different diets and still end up in the same place. The mistake is treating your preference like a principle, then telling everyone else it’s a “must do”.

Key Takeaway: If your diet helps you eat enough protein, keep calories in the right place, get plenty of whole foods and stay consistent, then brilliant—use it. But that doesn’t make it the only way, or the right way for everyone else. The principle is what matters. The preference is just how you get there.

Training: it’s more art than science

I heard someone describe coaching as more of an art than a science, and I thought it was a great way to put it.

The science is important—it gives us guidelines and processes that work. But it’s usually quite straightforward, and doesn’t account for the complexity of life. Training and performance has to be balanced with everything else: work, family, kids, social life, injuries, limitations, preferences, —I could keep going.

A great example of this comes from Matthew Syed’s work: Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic—arguably three of the greatest ever to play tennis—competed in the same era, yet each took a completely different approach to training, eating, preparation, and recovery. For me, it’s clear that the “right way” is whatever works best for you.

I’ve seen this in my own boxing journey: training under different coaches with different methods. Both clubs produced long lists of national champions and medalists at major championships, and even within those clubs there were many different styles of title-winning boxers. Not to mention different personalities.

I’ve also spoken about running without being glued to pace. I still keep an eye on it, but I don’t like chasing a number —I prefer to go by how I’m feeling. Some of you reading this might be the opposite and swear by hitting exact splits. Fair enough—that’s a preference, not a law.

I think the point I’m trying to make is become the artist. Try different ways, see how it feels, and keep what works. If it doesn’t suit you, you can go back to your own way.

Key Takeaway: “All roads lead to Rome”. With most things in fitness, health, and life, there’s no single right way to do it. Like with nutrition, there are principles and preferences. As long as the principles are met, the preferences can vary. Choose the approach you’re most likely to stick with—and do that.

Mindset: hold it loosely

Something I’ve been really working on is putting my opinion down and listening to the other side (I’ll admit, I have moments where I struggle to do this).

It’s fucking hard sometimes, because I want to be right and I most definitely don’t want to be wrong. But, I’ve realised there’s a lot of things I’ve changed my mind on that I initially didn’t want to accept.

Sometimes I change my mind and sometimes I don’t. But I’ve never once lost anything by listening and trying different ways, even just as an experiment.

A lot of this comes from what psychologists call a fixed mindset. We’re taught early that being wrong is bad. In school, the test comes back marked right or wrong, and wrong usually means embarrassment, disappointment, or feeling like you’ve failed (and possibly a bollicking from a parent — been there, plenty of times).

We carry that into adulthood. Being wrong doesn’t feel like useful feedback, it feels like a threat to our ego.

But being wrong is often where the good stuff is. It’s how we learn. It’s how we grow. It’s how we find better ways of doing things. The problem isn’t being wrong; the problem is being so afraid of being wrong that we stop paying attention.

The real cost of an opinion you can’t put down is it doesn’t just close you off to potentially gaining something — sometimes it can also close you off to the person offering it.

It’s okay to have a strong opinion. Just stay open to new ways of doing things, and don’t be the asshole who always has to be right (telling myself this as much as anyone).

Key Takeaway: Don’t be an asshole? lol. Listen to other people’s opinions and stay open to new ways of doing things. It might work for you, or it might not. Either way, the principle remains the same.

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Reflection Questions:

• Where in your health or fitness are you treating a preference like it’s a principle?

• What opinion are you holding onto because it worked for you once, rather than because it’s definitely true?

• Is there something you’ve dismissed as “a load of shite” that you might need to understand a bit better first?

• Where could you stop chasing the perfect method and just choose the approach you’re most likely to stick with?

• What’s one thing you’re willing to try properly this week, even if part of you thinks you might be wrong about it?

What I’m Working On

There’s so much information out there, and so many different camps claiming their way is the best way.

I’ve been the “optimal” guy before, and honestly, it’s a load of shite. With most things in health and fitness, the biggest thing is consistency. But to be consistent, typically there has to be some level of enjoyment too.

Then, of course, you’ve got the more specific stuff: progressive overload, recovery, some periodisation across the year, and different training cycles depending on what you’re working towards.

But for most people, none of that really matters. I used to think it was a waste of time if someone wasn’t challenging themselves enough in the gym or training “optimally”. To be fair, I still believe they’d get more out of it if they lifted weights that actually felt heavy. But experience has made me realise it’s still better for them to show up than not come at all.

There’s plenty of other things I’ve changed my mind on too and more to come I’d imagine. That’s life and probably a sign you’re in the right mindset.

“The man who views the world at 50 the same way as he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life”. — Muhammed Ali

That’s an absolute banger, isn’t it?

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For the next few weeks, I’m winding my training down and trying to get myself feeling as fresh as possible. I usually feel like I need to do more, but the plan is to chill out a bit more: less running mileage, and lighter, faster strength.

HYROX Solo in Tenerife is just over two weeks away, then Ratoath Half Marathon the week after — while I continue to lecture everyone else about doing “too much”.

Exploring Coaching Options?

If you’ve been thinking about getting a bit more structure with your training, there are a few ways I can help.

We’ve got a small number of spaces left in our EPIC training program in Stepaside (7.30am Monday, Wednesday, Friday — it’s good craic).

EPIC is for people who want to build strength, improve fitness, and be part of a focused group environment without having to figure everything out on their own.

If you’re curious, reach out and you can come in for a free trial session.

I also have online and hybrid coaching options available for anyone who doesn’t necessarily need every session in-person, but still wants guidance, accountability, and someone to chat to about their training.

That might mean:

• A clear training structure

• Help knowing what to do each week

• Feedback and adjustments when life gets busy

• Support with building confidence in the gym

• A plan that actually fits your goals and schedule

You don’t need to overcomplicate it.

Sometimes the biggest difference is simply having a plan, knowing why you’re doing it, and having someone in your corner to help you stay on track.

If you’re exploring coaching options, send me a message and we can chat through what would suit you best.

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There’s definitely been a correlation between the times I’ve pushed myself to work harder, earn more money, and “do better” financially — and the times my stress levels have gone up, my patience has gone down, and I’ve just been a bit of an arsehole to be around.

That’s what I did at the start of the year and it was shit.

I sometimes forget what I signed up for when I switched to working in gyms.

Back when I made the decision, I knew I’d probably earn less. It didn’t bother me at the time because I was sick of being stuck in traffic just to sit in an office all day calling people, trying to convince them to buy software.

No thanks.

When I’m in a clear headspace, I realise most days I’m living a great life.

But when I start focusing too much on money, salary, earning potential, and all the things I don’t have, I can feel myself changing. I get agitated. I get stressed. I start acting like this life isn’t enough.

I mentioned “living by your means” to someone recently who I felt was too focused on earning more.

More money. More things. More everything.

But I think the trick is wanting less.

I heard a brilliant quote before, and I’d do well to remember it more often:

“You only need health, happiness, and success. The less you need to achieve those three things, the wealthier you are”.

That’s the theme for this week.

Less chasing. Less forcing. Less doing things just because you feel like you should.

Training Less, but Better

When I’m lifting, I’ll typically do a maximum of five exercises in a workout.

Maybe six or seven if I’m adding in some core or a bit of conditioning to finish, but generally, it’s five exercises done with proper intent and effort.

That’s more than enough, and our EPIC members will testify to that.

At the moment, I’m running a push day and a pull day. I do each once per week. A bonus would be a third session with a mix of the two, but lately I’ve been too tired to need it.

Even with only two sessions a week, my strength is still increasing and our members are seeing the same.

I’m in the gym lifting for about 45 minutes. That’s it.

Of course, I’m also running and usually clocking up 10–20k steps a day, so I’m not doing nothing. But if there’s anything I’d want you to take from this, it’s that you don’t need to commit to some crazy gym routine to “lock in”.

You don’t need to train six times a week, push yourself to exhaustion every workout, or turn fitness into your entire identity.

Two decent strength sessions a week, done consistently, with other activity you actually enjoy can take you a very long way.

Key takeaway: An effective strength workout doesn’t need to be complicated. Around five exercises done properly, 2–3 times per week.

Shop With a Plan

If you’re still going to the supermarket to do your shopping without a list, you’re a dope.

Harsh, but I’m willing to die on this hill.

I’ve said it so many times, and I’ll keep saying it again and again.

Make a plan for the week.

Decide what meals you’re going to have, what snacks you’d like, what treat will keep you sane, and then do your shop.

It stops you from buying and eating things you don’t actually want or need. Not to mention the money you save by not buying a load of stuff that ends up sitting in the press or going off in the fridge.

Another reason is because everything in the supermarket is designed to pull you off track.

The brands, the shelves, the advertisements, the packaging, the offers — all of it is there to make you think you need something you didn’t even think of until ten seconds ago.

So if you go in without a plan, you’ll talk yourself into buying whatever catches your eye—or looks like a bargain.

Spending 10–15 minutes planning what you’ll eat for the week means fewer decisions—and less impulse buying.

Key takeaway: Don’t leave your food choices up to the supermarket. Make the decision before you go in, write the list, and stick to it.

Forcing It Isn’t Always “Discipline”

There’s a trend at the moment of people chasing mileage as part of their training plan.

It makes sense. Typically, higher running mileage can lead to better running times and improved performance.

But at what cost?

If hitting a specific number of kilometers each week means you’re too tired to get anything out of next week’s key sessions, is it really worth it?

This can crop up in other areas of our lives too. We start the week with a plan, a to-do list, a rough idea of what we want to get through.

But as the week goes on, things get in the way. Work runs over, plans change and stuff takes longer than expected. Suddenly, the day that was supposed to be your day off becomes a catch-up day.

Of course that’s life, sometimes you need to compromise and just do the work. Tough shit.

But it’s very easy for that to become a habit. To constantly find more to do on your day off. More easy runs. More active recovery (that isn’t really recovery). More work that probably could have waited.

I think it’s worth checking in with yourself, when was the last time you had a proper day off? Not a half day, or a day where you still squeezed in a few jobs.

A proper full day to switch off.

I’m not saying this is a weekly must-do for everyone. I know there are weeks when it’s just not realistic to have a day like that.

But if it’s been a while since you’ve had a full day off, think about scheduling one.

The physical break is great, but the mental one is the real cheat code. It gives you space to reset, stop reacting to everything, and head into the following week with a clearer mind and a fresher body.

Chill out and do fuck all. Whatever helps you fully switch off and come back a bit fresher.

Key takeaway: Sometimes you need to schedule this kind of recovery just like a meeting or training session, making it a non-negotiable. Because if taking one proper day off helps you train better, think clearer, and show up as a less irritable, it’s worth protecting.

Reflection Questions:

• Where in your life are you constantly chasing more, when less might actually suit you better?

• Is your training routine something you can repeat and adapt to, or are you forcing yourself through too much?

• Where could a bit more planning save you from making rushed decisions later in the week?

• When was the last time you had a proper, full day off — physically and mentally?

• What’s one thing you could pull back this week that would make you feel more calm, clear, and in control?

What I’m Working On

I suppose this whole drive for more is bred into us from an early age.

It’s more obvious in some parts of society than others, but I was chatting to Hannah about this and there’s definitely a stronger push for “more” in South Dublin. Most cities are probably like this too.

And I don’t want this to sound like I’m living on the poverty line and barely making ends meet. I’m not. I’m living a good life.

We’ve had the camper trips this year, I’ve managed to visit two countries I’d never been to before, and I get to spend my week training, coaching, and working in an industry I’m passionate about.

That’s a good place to be.

But there’s still these expectations that everyone needs to buy a gaff by 30, drive a new car, be fucking jacked, earn more, have more, and keep chasing more.

It spills into smaller things too.

More food than you need. More clothes. More supplements. More complicated exercises. More sessions. More mileage. More work on your day off.

More of everything, when less would probably leave you in a better place.

I ebb and flow between the two. I think that’s only natural when you’re surrounded by consumerism and individualism (bring back communism). But I’ve got good people around me who challenge my way of thinking, and I’m trying to get better at noticing when I’m drifting back into that “more” mindset.

This week has been a reminder that less isn’t always a step backwards.

Less training, done with more intent.

Less food decisions, because you made a plan.

Less forcing it, so you can actually recover and enjoy your life a bit more.

And maybe that’s the real win. Not having more for the sake of it, but needing less to feel healthy, happy, and successful.

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Exploring Coaching Options?

If you’ve been thinking about getting a bit more structure with your training, there are a few ways I can help.

We’ve got a small number of spaces left in our EPIC training program in Stepaside.

EPIC is for people who want to build strength, improve fitness, and be part of a focused group environment without having to figure everything out on their own.

If you’re curious, reach out and you can come in for a free trial session.

I also have online and hybrid coaching options available for anyone who doesn’t necessarily need every session in-person, but still wants guidance, accountability, and someone to chat to about their training.

That might mean:

• A clear training structure

• Help knowing what to do each week

• Feedback and adjustments when life gets busy

• Support with building confidence in the gym

• A plan that actually fits your goals and schedule

You don’t need to overcomplicate it.

Sometimes the biggest difference is simply having a plan, knowing why you’re doing it, and having someone in your corner to help you stay on track.

If you’re exploring coaching options, send me a message and we can chat through what would suit you best.

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52 weeks of chatting shite on Substack — come on the lads.

I’ve been flat out lately with work, taking trips in the van with Hannah, and just life, so I forgot to mention last week was newsletter number 52.

A full year of showing up here every week (well, I took a week off on two occasions).

I can’t say I’m anywhere near an expert writer, but I’d like to think I’ve improved a bit.

When I started, I didn’t really have a plan. I enjoyed writing the weekly newsletters back when I worked in Project Fitness Dublin, so I thought, “why not start my own and see where it leads me?”.

Of course, I had all the doubts.

• “There are so many others better than me.”

• “People will think I’m a sap.”

• “I don’t even really know what I’m doing.”

But like most things, the path became a little clearer once I actually started.

When I look back at some of the first newsletters, I cringe at a few things I said — and how I said them. But that’s part of it. You start off rough, keep going, make mistakes, and slowly grow into the person you’re trying to become.

If you think about it, this process applies to most things in life.

• You don’t need to have it all figured out before you start—you just need to start.

• Don’t let perfect stop you from being good enough.

• There’s a lot of power in being consistent, especially when it feels boring.

These lessons aren’t exclusive to writing. That’s training. That’s nutrition. That’s trying to do anything worthwhile.

I definitely don’t have it all figured out. Some days I ask myself, what the genuine fuck am I doing 😂.

But I’m willing to keep putting myself out there and give it a go.

I hope you’ve been enjoying my seemingly random collection of weekly emails (but if you think about it, training, recovery, nutrition, mindset, lifestyle—it’s all connected to a bigger picture of overall health).

I don’t expect anyone to read every week, agree with everything I say, or sign up for my coaching.

But if there’s been one or two things you’ve taken from this that genuinely helped you with something in your life, that’s more than enough reason for me to keep going.

This week is a bit of a mixed bag, but there’s a thread running through it: stop overcomplicating things, pay attention to what’s in front of you, and keep showing up.

Open Your Eyes Man

I was listening to a podcast recently where a few coaches were giving advice for anyone coming up in the industry.

One of the big points was to put yourself in an environment where you’re surrounded by great coaches. People you can learn from, ask questions, and pick things up off.

Immediately my brain went, “Shit, maybe I need to change gym.” In my head, I was thinking I’m one of the more experienced coaches in Energie now, so maybe I need to go somewhere else to keep learning.

But when I thought about it, I realised how wrong I was.

• Mateus is no doubt a more experienced coach than me. I’ve learned so much from him through EPIC and running the gym, and I still think there’s loads more I can pick up from him.

• Alex is a competitive runner, recently competed at the highest national level and can run a 5k in just over 15 minutes, which is absolutely savage. He’s been running competitively for years and has already taught me so much about that side of training.

• Gareth is studying to go into psychotherapy, is the oldest member of our team (sorry Gareth) and has a lot of lived experience. I’ve picked up so many little things from him that have helped me in both work and life.

• Tatiana, our latest addition to the team, is a master of stretching. Hips and back locked up? Legs need loosening? Tatiana will have you right.

It made me realise that sometimes when we feel like we’re lacking something, we immediately start looking elsewhere.

New gym. New coach. New course. New environment. New whatever.

But sometimes the thing we’re looking for is already around us. We just haven’t opened our eyes properly.

There’s probably a name for this. It’s a bit like shiny object syndrome mixed with proximity blindness — being so close to something valuable that you stop seeing it.

I think we all do this in some way.

We convince ourselves we need a complete change, when really we might just need to pay more attention to the people, lessons, and opportunities already sitting in front of us.

Key takeaway:

Before you go looking for what’s missing somewhere else, take a proper look around you. You might already be surrounded by more than you realise.

Jump, Throw, Sprint, Lift

General Physical Preparedness (GPP) is basically building the broad qualities everybody needs like: strength, mobility, conditioning, coordination, power, and overall durability.

It’s been the focus of my training after realising there’s more to training than just the traditional “lift heavy things”.

Don’t get me wrong, lifting weights is massively important, especially as we get older. But we also lose our ability to produce explosive power. That fast, sharp, athletic quality tends to go before our strength does.

I think a lot of people avoid jumping, throwing or sprinting because they feel like a bit of a tool doing it in the gym, or they’re afraid they’ll get injured.

But like most things, the medicine is in the dose.

You don’t need to sprint like you’re in an Olympic final or box jump onto something the height of your shoulder.

Start small.

With our EPIC programme, we start all our strength sessions with a jump, throw or speed exercise, and we try to include some sprint work in conditioning sessions where it makes sense.

Nothing mad. Just enough to remind the body, “Here, we still need to be able to move quickly.”

Our oldest member is 68 and is possibly the fastest out of everyone. He can also back squat over his bodyweight for 5 x 5 and leap like a frog, it’s savage.

Key takeaway:

Don’t just train to be strong—train to be capable.

Add two exercises before your strength sessions: 3 x 3–5 reps of vertical jumps and medicine ball slams.

Stop Trying To Catch Up

Dave dropped this banger recently when he was chatting about his Ironman in Nice (How Dave Lost 8kg in 6 Weeks).

His old coach told him, if you miss a few workouts, forget about them and move on. Don’t try to catch up.

I think a lot of ambitious, stubborn folk need to hear that. Myself very much included.

Last week I was bollixed. I didn’t sleep great, work was busy, recovery was poor, and then I was off to Galway for a Murphy family BBQ and a few pints of Guinness.

So training went out the window for a few days.

Because I follow a weekly plan, my first thought was, “Right, where can I fit those missed sessions back in?”

But I remembered Dave’s advice and thought about what I’d tell someone else: wipe the slate clean and move on.

It’s frustrating when you have to abandon the plan for a few days. But that’s all it is — a few days.

You don’t need to catch up, spiral, or lose the run of yourself.

Just get back to the basics.

Eat well. Sleep as much as you can. Move your body. Then get back to your usual plan.

Missing a few sessions doesn’t ruin your progress.

Trying to cram them all back in when you’re already tired probably will. That’s a lesson I don’t need to learn again.

Key takeaway:

If you miss a few workouts, don’t punish yourself by trying to catch up. Wipe the slate clean and get back to your normal routine.

Reflection Questions:

• Is there something you’ve been avoiding in the gym because you’re afraid of looking like a bit of a tool?

• Where could you add a small dose of speed, power, or athletic movement into your week?

• If you’ve fallen off the plan recently, do you really need to catch up, or do you just need to wipe the slate clean and get back to it?

• Who in your current environment could you learn more from if you paid attention?

• Is there something valuable sitting right in front of you that you’ve been overlooking?

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What I’m Working On

EPIC has taken off over the last few months.

What started as a handful of people has now temporarily hit full capacity — apart from our 7:30am class (if anyone fancies it 😉).

Going from 2–3 members to a packed-out programme in a short space of time has brought some additional work, but it’s been a brilliant for me and Mateus. We’re giving our members a 5-star service in a commercial budget gym.

Go figure.

In my own training, I’ve taken a step back from boxing for now. I miss it, but with everything else going on, it was too much. Running suits life better at the minute — I can do it in my own time, it’s flexible, and I’m really enjoying it.

I’ve been hitting PBs in the gym, jumping, sprinting, and testing out new bits to see what feels good, what doesn’t, and what would benefit people I’m coaching.

I’ve tickets booked for Hyrox Tenerife and Dublin, and I’m still chasing that sub-80-minute half marathon. It’ll come, I just need to be patient and pick the right race.

For now, I’m doubling down on being boring: getting my routine back after a busy few weeks, training consistently, eating well, spending time with my family and enjoying life.

And of course, keep the writing going for a while longer.

Exploring Coaching Options?

If you’ve been thinking about getting a bit more structure with your training, there are a few ways I can help.

We’ve got a small number of spaces left in our EPIC training program in Stepaside (07:30am only).

EPIC is for people who want to build strength, improve fitness, and be part of a focused group environment without having to figure everything out on their own.

If you’re curious, reach out and you can come in for a free trial session.

I also have online and hybrid coaching options available for anyone who doesn’t necessarily need every session in-person, but still wants guidance, accountability, and someone to chat to about their training.

That might mean:

• A clear training structure

• Help knowing what to do each week

• Feedback and adjustments when life gets busy

• Support with building confidence in the gym

• A plan that actually fits your goals and schedule

You don’t need to overcomplicate it.

Sometimes the biggest difference is simply having a plan, knowing why you’re doing it, and having someone in your corner to help you stay on track.

If you’re exploring coaching options, send me a message and we can chat through what would suit you best.

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I cut my holiday in Kerry short a few weeks ago to come back to Dublin for a coaching conference.

With the heatwave hitting the west coast, I definitely would’ve enjoyed an extra day down there. But I had a feeling the conference would be worth it, and it was.

Cillian O’Connor, Rick Nally, and Melody Schofield are all top-class coaches, and it was savage to learn from people who can clearly “walk the walk”.

I took a lot from it and came away with areas I know I need to improve, but also with a bit of reassurance too. A lot of the good practices they spoke about are things I’m doing — not because I read them in a book, but because I’ve learned them through experience on the gym floor.

This week, I want to share a few things I took from the day. Nothing too complicated, but I think you’ll find them useful.

Diagnosing Bottlenecks

When people set out to achieve something — whether it’s building muscle, losing body fat, or running a specific race time — we often jump straight into a plan.

To a certain extent, I agree with that.

Sometimes the first step really is to just start.

But at some stage, you need to pause and ask yourself:

“What’s actually stopping me from doing this?”

Is it a lack of protein?

Too much snacking?

Not enough sleep?

Or, if you’re chasing a race time, is it that you’re not spending enough time running at the pace you actually want to hold?

Most people don’t need a completely new plan. They need to identify the bottleneck that’s holding them back.

But before you even ask those questions, you need to make sure it’s the right goal for you in the first place.

I’ve seen this with people I’ve worked with, and I’ve definitely done it myself too.

Sometimes we pick goals because we saw someone on Instagram do it and thought it looked cool. Or because we get a little hit of dopamine imagining the praise we’ll get when we achieve it.

But if the goal doesn’t actually line up with your values, your lifestyle, or the type of person you want to become, it’s going to be very hard to stick with when the motivation wears off.

And that’s the bit people don’t always want to hear:

If you’re not willing to change your behaviour, it’s probably not a good goal for you.

Key Takeaway:

Before you chase the plan, diagnose the bottleneck and ask yourself:

“Is this really the right goal for me — what’s the bottleneck? Am I really willing to change my behaviour to make it happen?”

Avoidance vs Endurance Copers

When it comes to injury management, coaches often see two common reactions.

The first is avoidance coping, where someone feels pain or discomfort and decides to avoid the problem completely. They stop training, avoid the movement, and wait until everything feels perfect again.

The second is endurance coping, where someone does the opposite. They push through pain, ignore the warning signs, and try to keep training exactly as normal because they don’t want to lose momentum (me 😅).

Neither approach is ideal. Avoiding everything can make you fearful of movement and knock you out of your routine, but pushing through everything can turn a small issue into a bigger one.

A better approach is something called “poking the bear” (doesn’t sound very technical, I know...).

Essentially, you test the movement, but scale it right back. Use a lighter weight, reduce the range of motion, slow it down, etc. If it doesn’t feel good, pull back and avoid it for a while. But if it feels okay, stick with the easier version until you’re confident enough to build it back up.

The important thing is not to throw the whole routine away just because one part of your body is giving you trouble. When people get injured and stop going to the gym completely, they often move less, eat more, lose structure, and end up spiraling into other unhealthy behaviours.

For example this week, one of our EPIC members tweaked their knee and mentioned they might skip the next workout. They said it wasn’t too serious, so I suggested they still come in. If lower body work wasn’t a good idea, we could adjust the session and do more upper body instead.

That’s the sweet spot. Not reckless pushing, and not complete avoidance. Just smart adjustments that keep the habits alive.

Key Takeaway:

If you’re dealing with a small injury or niggle and think you should stop training, ask yourself: “What can I do safely?”.

Sometimes the best option is to show up, scale back, and keep the routine going.

Food Psychology

We finished the seminar with food psychology, it was heavy…

Melody has years of study and experience in this area, and you could tell. She kept saying things like, “You’ve probably had clients who…” and I was sitting there thinking, never mind clients — some of this sounds like me.

We covered a lot. Type A personalities. Perfectionism. Binge eating versus emotional eating (which aren’t the same thing). How our eating patterns can be driven by dopamine, reward, stress, control, guilt, and a load of other things that aren’t as simple as “just eat better”.

I’ll be honest, after everything else we had covered that day, it was a lot to take in.

But it definitely lit a fire in me to educate myself more on this stuff.

Because this is becoming more and more common. I’ve spoken to plenty of people in the gym who have struggled with their relationship with food, and a few who have dealt with eating disorders in the past. It’s also something we’re seeing more in teenagers, which is genuinely worrying.

I don’t think there’s enough education around it — for young people, for parents, or for coaches.

I’m not pretending to be an expert in this area. Far from it. But I do think coaches need to understand it better, because food is never just food. For a lot of people, it’s tied to control, emotion, identity, stress, reward, and self-worth.

So that’s something I’m going to spend more time learning about. My goal working in this industry has always been to help those who need it, not just help people get lean for an Instagram post.

Key Takeaway:

If your relationship with food feels messy, it doesn’t mean you’re broken or lazy.

It probably means there’s more going on under the surface — and that’s worth understanding, not judging.

Reflection Questions

• What goal are you chasing at the minute, and is it actually yours or is it something you picked up from someone else?

• What’s the real bottleneck holding you back right now — training, food, sleep, stress, consistency, or something else?

• If you’re dealing with a niggle or setback, are you avoiding everything or pushing through too much?

• Where could you scale things back instead of stopping completely?

• Is your relationship with food helping your health, or is it starting to feel tied up with guilt, control, stress, or self-worth?

What I’m Working On

Rick and Cillian both spoke about having a clear philosophy around training and nutrition.

It made a lot of sense.

Because if you know what you actually believe in as a coach, it becomes much easier to know who you can genuinely help, and who might not be the right fit.

Rick comes from a running background. Cillian comes from a lifting background. But neither of them seemed stuck in one lane. They both understand the value of the other side, and both of their philosophies seem to come back to the same thing:

Health.

Not just running fast. Not just lifting heavy. Not just looking lean.

Actually being healthy.

That’s probably been the biggest driver for me since my bout with ulcerative colitis. Although I’m not sure having 20+ fights and pushing myself to the absolute limit in Hyrox and running races fully lines up with that either 😅.

But it has definitely changed how I look at food, training, and what I want from all of this.

A lot of my drive to compete probably comes from guilt and shame around being a bit of a waster in my teens and feeling like I didn’t do much with myself. I’ve found meaning in those pursuits now, and I genuinely love what I do.

But it’s still worth thinking about.

Because the older I get, the more I realise the goal can’t just be to prove something.

It has to be to build a body, a lifestyle, and a mindset that actually lets me live well.

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Exploring Coaching Options?

If you’ve been thinking about getting a bit more structure with your training, there are a few ways I can help.

We’ve got a small number of spaces left in our EPIC training program in Stepaside (7.30am only).

EPIC is for people who want to build strength, improve fitness, and be part of a focused group environment without having to figure everything out on their own.

If you’re curious, reach out and you can come in for a free trial session.

I also have online and hybrid coaching options available for anyone who doesn’t necessarily need every session in-person, but still wants guidance, accountability, and someone to chat to about their training.

That might mean:

• A clear training structure

• Help knowing what to do each week

• Feedback and adjustments when life gets busy

• Support with building confidence in the gym

• A plan that actually fits your goals and schedule

You don’t need to overcomplicate it.

Sometimes the biggest difference is simply having a plan, knowing why you’re doing it, and having someone in your corner to help you stay on track.

If you’re exploring coaching options, send me a message and we can chat through what would suit you best.

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Are you intentional in what you do, day to day, or are you just going through the motions?

I’m not talking about anything overly spiritual—no full moon manifesting after eating mushrooms (not this time, at least).

The intention I’m talking about is simply asking:

“Am I actually choosing this… or am I just doing it because it’s easy, familiar, and I’ve never stopped to question it?”

Because working in gyms for the past 5+ years, I’ve noticed a lot of people come in, do a few bits, tick the box, and leave.

Showing up is absolutely part of the battle. I’ll never knock someone for getting through the doors. Some days that alone deserves a fist bump and a pat on the back.

But, there’s a difference between being in the gym and training.

There’s a difference between showing up, going through the motions, and actually paying attention to what you’re doing.

This doesn’t just happen in the gym.

We do it with food.

We do it with sleep.

We do it with work.

We do it with how we spend our evenings, weekends, energy, money, and attention.

A lot of the time, we’re not really making decisions—we’re just letting the day go by, then wondering why we feel wrecked, frustrated, stuck, or like we’re constantly trying to “get back on track.”

So this week, the theme is simple:

Be more intentional.

Not perfect. Not obsessive. Just more aware, more deliberate, and more willing to ask:

“Is this actually what I want to be doing?”

Training: Stop Just Ticking the Box

There’s a version of training that looks productive from the outside.

You turn up, do the workout, tick the box, and leave.

Technically, you trained—but did you do it with any real intention? Because there’s a difference between going to the gym and actually training.

One is just being there; the other has some thought behind it.

You don’t need every session to be perfect. You don’t need to be bouncing off the walls with motivation. And you definitely don’t need to destroy yourself every time you walk through the door.

But it helps to know what you’re there to do.

Are you trying to get stronger? Improve your fitness? Build speed? Practice a skill? Or just clear your head after a stressful day?

All of those are valid, but they won’t all look the same.

That’s where a lot of people get stuck. They show up, do a little here and there, then wonder why they don’t really feel like they’re getting anywhere.

Showing up matters and it’s a big part of the battle. But at some point, you have to ask whether what you’re doing matches what you say you want.

If the goal is strength, are you actually progressing your lifts?

If the goal is fitness, are you actually challenging your engine?

If the goal is to perform better, are you training in a way that supports that—or just battering yourself because you think that’s what counts?

So before your next session, ask:

“What’s the point of today?”

Takeaway: Don’t just show up—show up with a point. Before you train, name the intention (strength, fitness, speed, skill, headspace, or social connection) and let that guide what you do.

Nutrition: Convenience Is Fine — Mindless Isn’t

Food is another place we like to pretend we’re making choices. But most of the time, we’re not choosing—we’re reacting.

We’re tired, hungry, busy, stressed, bored—standing in the kitchen at 9:47pm, eating whatever we can find.

Again, this isn’t about being perfect.

There’s nothing wrong with convenient food, tasty food, getting a takeaway, eating chocolate, having a few drinks, or choosing the easy option sometimes.

The issue is when the easy option becomes the default, and we never stop to ask:

Is this really helping me feel the way I want to?

Because that’s the part people often miss: food isn’t just about calories, protein, carbs, and fat. Food affects your energy, mood, digestion, training, sleep, and patience.

Yet, so many people treat cooking like a huge burden: “Ah, I don’t have time to cook.” But somehow there’s time for two episodes of a series and an hour or two of scrolling.

I’m not judging. I’ve been there. We all have.

But it’s worth asking:

“Am I really too busy to make food that supports me, or have I just decided it’s not a priority?”

Intentional nutrition doesn’t mean weighing everything and refusing to eat birthday cake.

It means having a rough plan, knowing which meals make you feel good, making the better option easier to choose, and sometimes cooking dinner when you don’t feel like it—because future you will thank you for it.

Takeaway (pun intended): Convenience isn’t the problem — autopilot is. You don’t need to eat perfectly, but you do need to stop every now and then and ask whether the choices you keep making are actually helping you feel, train, sleep, and live the way you want to.

Make the better choice easier, keep a rough plan in mind, and remember that your future self will usually be grateful when your present self makes the effort.

Lifestyle: Your Environment Is Making Choices For You

After traveling around Kerry last week, I started thinking about how much some people are willing to spend on a second home, a camper van, or a getaway spot to escape the pressures of everyday life.

And yes, obviously that’s a very fortunate position to be in. But the point still stands.

A lot of the time, they’re not just buying a place. They’re buying a different environment.

Somewhere they can slow down and switch off, making it easier to feel like a calmer, less stressed version of themselves. That matters, because your environment is making more choices for you than you probably realise.

If there’s no nutritious food in the house, you’re unlikely to eat that kind of food.

If your phone is beside your bed, you’ll probably scroll.

If you spend most of your time with people who don’t care about staying fit or taking care of themselves, you’ll likely follow their habits.

If your evenings are built around work, stress, and distraction, you’ll probably wake up feeling behind before the day even starts.

Thankfully, you don’t need to buy a second home to change your environment.

Start with what’s already around you—the food in your kitchen, the places you spend your time, the people you share your energy with, and the habits that make you feel better or worse.

Takeaway: If you want to change how you act, feel, train, eat, or think, it’s not just about motivation and discipline—it’s about your environment. Look at it, then ask: “Is this making the person I want to be easier or harder?”

Reflection Questions

• Where in your life are you showing up, but not really paying attention to what you’re doing?

• Before your next gym session, can you actually say what the point of it is — or are you just going in to tick the box?

• Is the food you keep in the house making it easier or harder to feel, train, and live the way you want to?

• What part of your environment is making choices for you without you really noticing?

• If tomorrow-you had to give feedback on today-you, what would they be glad you did — and what would they probably be shaking their head at?

What I’m Working On

I’ve made being intentional a major focus this year, especially after a rocky start that was entirely my own doing.

Each month, I choose a theme to focus on. This month’s is being present—resisting the urge to live in the future, letting go of perfectionism, and not being too hard on myself when things don’t go my way, especially when, in reality, I never truly had control over them in the first place.

Sometimes that means not getting frustrated when I come home eager to relax and watch some House of the Dragon, only to remember I still need to prep lunch for work and hang up the washing.

Other times, it’s accepting that a training session isn’t going to go exactly how I wanted because I’m a bit more tired than I expected.

And last week, on the camper trip, it showed up with food too.

I shared a few photos of the meals we enjoyed during the week, along with the ones we had while eating out — because you can’t visit Dingle without having fish and chips (more than once).

But I was intentional around it. I ate well before and after because I knew we’d be going out and enjoying food I wouldn’t usually have during a typical week.

I didn’t feel guilty about it. I didn’t need to punish myself the next day. I just went back to eating the meals and foods I enjoy. The ones that make me feel good.

And that’s the point.

Being intentional doesn’t mean getting everything right. It means paying a bit more attention to your choices, understanding why you’re making them, and not turning every imperfect moment into a reason to write the whole week off.

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Exploring Coaching Options?

If you’ve been thinking about getting a bit more structure with your training, there are a few ways I can help.

There’s only space left in our 7:30 a.m. class for the EPIC training program in Stepaside.

EPIC is for people who want to build strength, improve fitness, and be part of a focused group environment without having to figure everything out on their own.

If you’re curious, reach out and you can come in for a free trial session.

I also have online and hybrid coaching options available for anyone who doesn’t necessarily need every session in-person, but still wants guidance, accountability, and someone to chat to about their training.

That might mean:

• A clear training structure

• Help knowing what to do each week

• Feedback and adjustments when life gets busy

• Support with building confidence in the gym

• A plan that actually fits your goals and schedule

You don’t need to overcomplicate it.

Sometimes the biggest difference is simply having a plan, knowing why you’re doing it, and having someone in your corner to help you stay on track.

If you’re exploring coaching options, send me a message and we can chat through what would suit you best.

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There’s nothing better than being a complete beginner.

Progress comes quickly. You get those newbie gains. You go from knowing nothing to knowing a little bit. From struggling with the basics to feeling like you’re starting to get the hang of it.

It’s a savage place to be.

In my own running journey, getting under 1:30 for a half marathon came quicker than I expected. With low mileage, I ran 1:21 in Céide Half Marathon last year.

I thought sub-80 minutes was there for the taking.

And to be fair, I still think it is.

Since the start of this year, I’ve been following a proper plan with TT Racers. My mileage is higher than ever and I’m training more specifically than ever. I’m doing the work.

So naturally, I expected to be well under 1:20 by now.

But I’ve had a few missed chances.

That can be frustrating. When you’re fitter, training better, and doing more of the right things, you expect the result to just happen.

But running, like most things worth chasing, doesn’t always work like that.

So I’m trying not to throw the toys out of the pram. I’m treating it as another rep.

Another race in the legs. Another chance to learn. Another bit of proof that I’m getting closer, even if the time hasn’t landed yet.

And I think that applies to any ambitious goal.

You have a crack. Sometimes it goes to plan. Sometimes it doesn’t. But either way, you get another rep in.

And if you keep doing that for long enough, it’ll come.

Training: Not every session needs to be a breakthrough

We often think a good training session has to be a PB, a killer workout, or something that leaves us crawling out of the gym.

But most progress comes from the boring reps.

The sessions where you show up, do the work, and leave without anything dramatic happening.

You don’t need every race to be your fastest. You don’t need every lift to be heavier. You don’t need every workout to feel savage.

Sometimes it’s just another rep in the bank.

Another chance to practice good movement. Another chance to raise your floor. Another chance to prove to yourself that you’re the type of person who shows up even when it’s not glamorous.

Key takeaway: stop judging every session by whether it was impressive. Sometimes the win is just getting another rep done.

Nutrition: One meal won’t change everything, but it still counts

We can treat nutrition like it only matters if we’re being “perfect”.

We have one good meal and think, “What difference does that make?”

Or we have one bad meal and think, “I’ve ruined everything—might as well forget about healthy eating till next week.”

Both mindsets miss the point.

Every meal is another rep.

A breakfast with protein. A lunch that keeps you full. Drinking a bit more water. Adding fruit or veg. Getting back to normal after a takeaway instead of letting it turn into a three-day spiral.

None of those things feel life-changing in the moment.

But stacked over weeks and months, they are the change.

Key takeaway: don’t wait for the perfect diet. Treat each meal as another chance to practice the basics.

Lifestyle: The boring habits are where the real work happens

Sleep, steps, water, planning your food, getting outside, managing stress — none of it sounds sexy.

But this is usually where people make or break their progress.

You can have the best training plan in the world, but if your lifestyle is chaos, it will always be an uphill battle.

The problem is we can underestimate the small stuff because it feels too simple.

Getting to bed a bit earlier is another rep. Going for a walk is another rep. Preparing lunch instead of winging it is another rep. Taking five minutes to plan your day is another rep.

It doesn’t feel like much, but it’s all evidence that you’re looking after yourself.

Key takeaway: the basics don’t need to be exciting to be effective. Repeat them long enough and they start to change everything.

Mindset: Missed chances are still reps

When something doesn’t go to plan, we sometimes see it as failure.

A missed PB. A bad session. A weekend where food went sideways. A week where training wasn’t perfect.

But if you can take a step back, there’s usually something useful you can take from it.

You learn what worked. You learn what didn’t. You learn where you panicked, where you backed yourself, where you need more practice, or where your expectations were a bit ahead of reality (my expectations are always wildly optimistic—especially with running).

The effort wasn’t wasted.

It was another rep.

The goal is not to get everything right first time. The goal is to keep having a crack at things, learn from them, and come back better.

Key takeaway: if you learn from it and keep going, it wasn’t a waste. It was another rep, and will likely lead you to where you want to go.

Reflection Questions

• Are you expecting every session to be a breakthrough, when maybe the win is just getting another solid rep in?

• What’s one nutrition habit you could treat as another rep this week, instead of waiting for the perfect diet to start?

• Which boring lifestyle habit would make the biggest difference for you if you repeated it consistently?

• Where have you been seeing a missed chance as a failure, when really it might just be another rep you can learn from?

What I’m Working On

I ran Clontarf the day after TRYKA, so I knew I wasn’t exactly giving myself the best chance at a PB.

But Mateus was unlucky getting injured beforehand, so I thought, why not use his entry?

Instead of putting pressure on the time, I treated it as another rep. More practice feeling my way through a race, keeping things controlled, and saving enough for a strong finish.

As races go, I’m delighted with how I managed it. Before Brian and I ran the last few kms together, I was with a different group and they all fell off.

(Apologies to the guy drafting behind me—I shouted back asking for a dig out, and by god, he delivered. He pulled us back to a strong pace into the headwind before dropping back not long after 😂).

This “another rep” attitude is starting to spill into other parts of my life too.

The gym opening not working out. Job interviews that didn’t go my way. Coaching people. Training. Running. Nutrition.

Not everything lands first time.

But if you take something from it, back yourself, and go again, it’s never wasted.

It’s another rep.

Subscribe now

Exploring Coaching Options?

If you’ve been thinking about getting a bit more structure with your training, there are a few ways I can help.

We’ve got spaces left in our EPIC training program in Stepaside.

EPIC is for people who want to build strength, improve fitness, and be part of a focused group environment without having to figure everything out on their own.

If you’re curious, reach out and you can come in for a free trial session.

I also have online and hybrid coaching options available for anyone who doesn’t necessarily need every session in-person, but still wants guidance, accountability, and someone to chat to about their training.

That might mean:

• A clear training structure

• Help knowing what to do each week

• Feedback and adjustments when life gets busy

• Support with building confidence in the gym

• A plan that actually fits your goals and schedule

You don’t need to overcomplicate it.

Sometimes the biggest difference is simply having a plan, knowing why you’re doing it, and having someone in your corner to help you stay on track.

If you’re exploring coaching options, send me a message and we can chat through what would suit you best.

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I wasn’t the most confident kid growing up.

Being born with a cleft lip, I knew I looked different. And even though my parents were amazing and I had a great group of friends, it still became a target for some people.

So when I was younger, I was extremely shy in unfamiliar environments. If I didn’t know people, I didn’t want to be there. I was constantly worried about being made fun of, mocked, or having someone point out the thing I was already painfully aware of.

And before this starts sounding like the opening scene of a sad Netflix documentary, I’m not looking for sympathy.

As testing as some of those moments were growing up, they shaped me. In a strange way, they’re probably a big reason I became the person I am now.

I didn’t start training because I had some grand plan to become a coach, box competitively, and run races.

I just wanted to feel a bit better about myself.

But then it snowballed.

The gym led to boxing. Boxing led to competing. Competing led to coaching. Now, I seem to have developed a habit of testing myself in anything that peaks my interest.

The biggest thing sport and fitness has given me isn’t abs, medals, or the ability to talk about protein intake and carb loading.

It’s confidence.

And I’m sure people have noticed it over the years. I believe in myself now.

Not in an arrogant way. It’s not that I’ve completely fallen in love with myself — although, to be fair, I do have my moments.

It’s more that I’ve put myself in enough uncomfortable situations to know that, whatever comes my way, I can probably handle it.

That’s one of the most underrated benefits of challenging yourself in the gym or physically—it builds the confidence to face whatever’s ahead.

Because a lot of the time, the hardest part is walking through the door for the first time.

It’s thinking everyone is watching. Judging you. Judging your exercises. Judging the fact you’re trying to figure out how to adjust a machine.

But the older I’ve gotten, the more I’ve realised most of those fears were made up in my own head.

Most people are too busy worrying about themselves.

And the tiny percentage of people who genuinely take time out of their day to mock someone for trying to improve themselves?

They’re losers.

And, they’ve probably got far bigger problems than your squat technique.

So this week, I want to talk about confidence.

Because whether your goal is to lose weight, get stronger, run faster, or simply stop feeling intimidated by the gym, confidence isn’t something you wait to feel before you start.

It’s something you earn by starting.

And that applies to more than just walking into the gym. It applies to how you eat, how you train, and how you talk to yourself when things feel uncomfortable.

Training: Confidence through clarity

It’s easy for me to say, “Just have a plan and you’ll be sorted in the gym.”

The problem is, there’s so much information out there that you can end up not knowing where to start.

Like I always say, it’s science, but it’s not rocket science.

It’s also highly contextual.

What gym do you train in? Is it rammed after work? Are you comfortable with free weights?

Generally speaking, if I was giving a simple plan to someone training at peak time after work, when the gym is busy, I’d keep it like this:

Warm-up: 5 minutes of cardio and mobility.

Main workout: grab two dumbbells. One heavier one for lower body exercises and one lighter one for upper body exercises.

Do 3 supersets with 30 seconds rest between sets. Aim for 8-12 reps, or 1 minute per exercise if that suits better. For single-side exercises, go 30 seconds each side.

Take 60-90 seconds between each superset, then move on.

Example session:

• Goblet squat / clean and press

• Reverse lunge / single-arm bent-over row

• Press-ups / mountain climbers

That’ll take about 30 minutes. And I guarantee, if you’re honest with the weights and don’t spend half the session scrolling, that’s all you need.

It’s simple. It’s not very sexy. But it is effective.

Finish with a quick stretch, then head out and enjoy the evening.

Key takeaway: a good plan doesn’t need to be complicated. It needs to be clear enough that you can walk in, get moving, and get out.

Nutrition: Confidence through simplicity

People often feel out of control with food because they’re chasing perfect diets.

I’ve found myself getting back to what my parents drilled into me growing up:

Breakfast. Lunch. Dinner.

Fruit, veg, protein, and some form of carbs.

I don’t think they were secretly trying to help me nail my macros. It was just how it was and looking back, it was brilliant.

It took the guesswork out of food. Fewer choices, less unintentional snacking, and easy to repeat day in, day out.

That’s something I push with my coaching now. No rigid rules. No “good” or “bad” foods.

Just nail the basics:

• Protein with most meals

• Fruit or veg daily

• Enough water

• Mostly whole foods

• Room for foods you enjoy.

It can still be simple, everyday meals like eggs on toast, porridge, a sandwich or wrap, spaghetti Bolognese, chicken curry, or shepherd’s pie. Nothing fancy—just balanced, satisfying, and easy to repeat.

Key takeaway: stop trying to build the perfect diet. Build a repeatable one.

You build confidence when you realise simple meals done consistently beat eating perfectly for three days, falling off, and starting again every Monday.

Mindset: Confidence through proof

Stop thinking and start doing.

Confidence isn’t built by sitting around waiting to feel ready. It’s built by doing the things that make you nervous, especially the ones you’ve already convinced yourself you might not be able for.

I don’t think people would believe how terrified I was before my first few fights. Even now, I still get doubts, fear, and nerves about plenty of things. I wish I could say I’ve become some calm, monk-like warrior, but that would be a lie.

The difference is, I’ve done enough hard things now to know nerves don’t mean I can’t do it. They just mean I care.

That’s the bit people get wrong. They think confidence means walking into every situation calm, certain, and completely unfazed. But most of the time, confidence is just learning not to treat nerves as a reason to stop.

Like anything in life, the more you show up, the more evidence you give yourself. You complete the workout. You hit your steps. You stick to your food routine when winging it would be easier. You walk into the gym even though you feel out of place. Bit by bit, you stop being someone who’s “trying to get fit” and start becoming someone who trains.

That confidence spills over too. Because when you prove to yourself that you can do hard things in the gym, it becomes a little easier to back yourself outside of it.

Key takeaway: Choose one thing this week that makes you hesitate (as long as it’s legal) and do it anyway. Don’t wait to feel confident—gain confidence by proving to yourself that you can.

Reflection Questions

• Where are you overcomplicating things right now, when a simple, repeatable plan would give you more confidence?

• What’s one basic nutrition habit you could commit to this week instead of chasing the “perfect” diet?

• If you walked into the gym with a clear 30-minute plan, what would feel less intimidating?

• What’s one small promise you could keep this week that would prove to yourself you’re capable of starting before you feel fully confident?

What I’m Working On

Confidence is a skill and like any skill, it can be worked on.

It’s one of the sides of coaching I think a lot of people in the industry miss. Sometimes the first win isn’t a perfect program, a heavy lift, or a complete lifestyle overhaul.

Sometimes the first win is just getting someone through the door.

A guy came into Energie the other day looking to join. He’d never been in a gym before and, by his own admission, wasn’t in a great place with his physical health.

My advice was simple: come in 2-3 times a week and do 30 minutes of cardio.

Not because cardio is magic. Not because that’s the long-term plan. But because right now, the goal is to help him feel comfortable walking in, getting a sweat on, and realising the gym isn’t as scary as it seems.

Once that feels normal, we can add a few machines. Then maybe a bit more structure. And long term, who knows where he’ll go (Hyrox Pro Solo).

But at the start, it’s baby steps.

So that’s what I’m working on: meeting people where they are, building confidence first, and remembering that sometimes the simplest plan is the one that actually keeps someone going.

Subscribe now

Exploring Coaching Options?

If you’ve been thinking about getting a bit more structure with your training, there are a few ways I can help.

We’ve got spaces left in our EPIC training program in Stepaside.

EPIC is for people who want to build strength, improve fitness, and be part of a focused group environment without having to figure everything out on their own.

If you’re curious, reach out and you can come in for a free trial session.

I also have online and hybrid coaching options available for anyone who doesn’t necessarily need every session in-person, but still wants guidance, accountability, and someone to chat to about their training.

That might mean:

• A clear training structure

• Help knowing what to do each week

• Feedback and adjustments when life gets busy

• Support with building confidence in the gym

• A plan that actually fits your goals and schedule.

You don’t need to overcomplicate it.

Sometimes the biggest difference is simply having a plan, knowing why you’re doing it, and having someone in your corner to help you stay on track.

If you’re exploring coaching options, send me a message and we can chat through what would suit you best.

This week last year I was convinced I was about to open my own gym.

I’d just come back from a scouting trip in London, full of ideas, and everything looked like it was in place — unit, backing, the whole thing.

Then it blew up.

I was sickened. But later I found out the unit had issues that were being hidden, so realistically it could’ve turned into a nightmare.

So I took it all as a lesson and moved on. Still coaching, still working, still learning. The goal hasn’t changed — the timeline has.

This sort of thing happens in all areas of our lives, especially with health and fitness.

There are so many variables that can come out of nowhere and throw your plans off. Sometimes that means the goal you had in your head just isn’t achievable in the time period you wanted.

You hear it all the time: consistency is king. And it is. But it’s hard to stay consistent when you’re bitterly disappointed that something didn’t go to plan. That’s life. Sometimes you just have to take the hit, accept the disappointment, and move on.

Because odds are, there’ll be a better route forward — even if you can’t see it yet.

If you’re reading this and you’ve had something go sideways lately — in training or life — you’re not behind. You’re just dealing with reality.

Anyway — enough life lessons for this week. Here are a few training things that have come up for me recently.

Strength Training: 8/5/5/3

Since the start of the year, I’ve been testing different ways to get stronger. I started with Jim Wendler’s 5/3/1, then moved onto the classic 5×5.

Mateus brought 8/5/5/3 into EPIC, and I’ve been running it in my own training too.

4 working sets. Rep scheme: 8 / 5 / 5 / 3.

Based off your calculated 1 rep max, working from roughly 70% up to ~85%.

The reason I’m enjoying it so much is because with all the running, I’m not always feeling fresh. That first set of 8 reps tells me a lot.

It’s basically a “check-in” set:

• If everything feels snappy and solid, I’ll build toward that heavier top set.

• If I’m cooked, I’ll still get quality work done, but I won’t force 85% just because the plan says so.

Some days I’m nowhere near 85%. Other days I feel unreal and I can chance a bit heavier. This week was one of those days — I hit a new PB on my back squat (with depth a Hyrox judge couldn’t question).

Takeaway for this week

You don’t need a perfect day to make progress — you need a repeatable plan and the ability to adjust without ego.

Use your first set as feedback. Then make a smart call:

• Move well → earn the right to go heavier

• Feel off → keep it clean, keep it honest, and live to train another day.

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Strength Training: Tracking Progress

We all want to track progress — we just don’t want extra apps or spreadsheets.

When life gets busy, logging every set is usually the first thing to go. Fair enough.

Here’s the easiest method: use the Notes app.

After training, write:

• Exercise

• Top set (reps × weight)

Example: Back squat — 3 × 120kg

Next week, check last week’s number. If you added a rep, a bit of weight, or it moved cleaner, you’re progressing. If it hasn’t changed for weeks, you’re probably stalling.

Takeaway: keep tracking simple enough that you’ll still do it on a stressful week.

Training: Train Don’t Strain

“Train don’t strain” is a line my running coach Terry uses all the time, and it’s a key part of his approach.

It makes me laugh because a few years ago I did the exact opposite — strain don’t train would’ve been more accurate.

But it ties into what I mentioned last week: you want to feel in control of your effort. Maybe you could push the pace. Maybe you could turn an easy run into a session. But if that decision has a knock-on effect that affects the rest of your week, it’s not a win — it’ll come back and bite you when you can’t hit the sessions that matter.

I can say from experience this way works better. I’m feeling great lately and I’m progressing because I’m not constantly cooking myself.

Of course, there’s a time and a place to go to the well. But those days should be few and far between — not your default setting.

Takeaway:

Look at your week of training and count how many days you’d call “hard.”

If it’s more than 2, something needs to change.

Reflection Questions

• What’s something that’s gone sideways for you lately — and if you’re honest, what might it be saving you from?

• Where are you trying to force it right now instead of adjusting the plan and getting on with it?

• On your main lift this week, what’s the win: a rep, more weight, or cleaner form? Pick one.

• If you only tracked one thing this week, what would it be? (One lift + your top set.)

• Look at your week ahead: how many “hard” days are you trying to stack? If it’s more than two, what are you changing?

What I’m Working On

Opening a gym is still on the cards for me — but the when and the where are the bits I don’t fully control.

I’ve had moments where I’ve been tempted to pack it in. Go back to an office job. Or just accept that I’ll always work for someone else. And to be honest, who knows — maybe that is how it ends up.

But I’ve also seen this exact pattern play out in every other area.

I’ve seen lads disappear after a loss in boxing because they couldn’t handle the setback. I’ve seen people stop running or racing Hyrox because they missed the time they expected and their ego couldn’t take it. And I’ve seen people give up on getting fitter and healthier because the scales didn’t drop fast enough to reward them.

And that’s the real point of this week.

Consistency is non-negotiable if you want anything worth having. But consistency doesn’t come from being “motivated” all the time — it comes from being able to take a hit, feel the disappointment, and still show up again next week without making it mean something about you.

Adjust the plan. Keep the goal. Stay in the game.

Subscribe now

Exploring Coaching Options?

If you’ve been thinking about getting a bit more structure with your training, there are a few ways I can help.

We’ve got a small number of spaces left in our EPIC training program in Stepaside.

EPIC is for people who want to train hard, build strength, improve fitness, and be part of a focused group environment without having to figure everything out on their own.

If you’re curious, reach out and you can come in for a free trial session.

I also have online and hybrid coaching options available for anyone who doesn’t necessarily need in-person sessions, but still wants guidance, accountability, and someone to chat to about their training.

That might mean:

• A clear training structure

• Help knowing what to do each week

• Feedback and adjustments when life gets busy

• Support with building confidence in the gym

• A plan that actually fits your goals and schedule

You don’t need to overcomplicate it.

Sometimes the biggest difference is simply having a plan, knowing why you’re doing it, and having someone in your corner to help you stay on track.

If you’re exploring coaching options, send me a message and we can chat through what would suit you best.

A little unplanned bonus of our road trip was that we landed smack bang in the middle of the Donegal Rally.

We headed up for a nice chill, relaxing week in the west — you know: fresh air, quiet roads, a bit of peace. Instead, we’re lying there listening to boy racers from every corner of the country revving their cars and knocking back cans of Bulmers… Yup the lads.

But the best part was a woman behind the counter in a coffee shop giving me the once-over and goes, “Are you up driving in the rally?”

I found it a lot funnier than she did.

Because clearly she didn’t know that I’m the proud owner of one of the slowest, banged up Fiestas crawling around South Dublin.

I had an article half-written for last Friday, but trying to take my own advice — I left it, switched off properly, and enjoyed the week away. It was my first time spending any proper time up north, and I wanted to take it all in.

So this week’s just a few things that have cropped up for me lately. Some will hit home, some won’t — we’ll see what lands.

Green Recoveries

I was feeling strong coming into the Lisburn Half Marathon. My Whoop was showing me consistent green recoveries — which is very, very rare — and I felt well-rested, ready to go.

The Whoop recovery score is based on HRV readings. A high HRV generally means your body is relaxed and well-recovered, while a low HRV can signal fatigue, stress, or poor recovery.

A week by the sea, filled with rest, less screen time, a short break from training, good food, and minimal stress.

Whoop seems to be telling me that we should take more van trips and that I need to chill out more often!

Takeaway: Have you been frequently in the yellow or red zones on your health watch? I try not to put too much weight on what it shows, but consistent trends might be a sign that it’s time to slow down and take a break.

Hot Roads, and Running By Feel

The only thing I thought could work against me in the race was the heat.

I started off at what I thought would be race pace and tried finding a group to tuck in with. The lads I latched onto were too quick, and a few km in I had to pull it back.

I had a rough plan for the race… but it went out the window after the first few kilometers. I knew I was behind the time I’d planned to be running at, but I also knew there was zero point forcing it and completely falling apart.

I’ve mentioned it before: it’s so easy to get overly obsessed with exact paces and splits. I’m not saying don’t use them at all — there’s a time and a place. But in a race (especially in conditions like heat), you’ve got to be able to switch off from the watch and run by feel.

As my running coach Terry says: you want to feel in control.

So that’s what I did. I knew I’d started too fast for the day that was in it, so I adjusted by listening to what my heart rate and breathing were telling me.

Takeaway (for whatever racing you’re at):

In any race, your watch is just one data point. Conditions, terrain, and fatigue don’t care what pace you had planned.

This week, practice running by feel:

• Do one session where you cover the watch (or just ignore it) and aim for “comfortably hard”.

• Learn what in control actually feels like: steady breathing , strong effort, no panic.

• Leave a little in the tank early — you can always push later, but you can’t take back blowing up.

The goal isn’t perfect splits. It’s a strong finish.

Nutrition: From “Just Eating” to Eating With Intention

Growing up, I never really thought much about food.

It was just the thing you did to stop being hungry — so I ate whatever I fancied: takeaways, sweets, chocolate. For a long time, I got away with it.

But then I had a flare-up of ulcerative colitis, I had to defer my first year of college, and I’m on medication for the rest of my life. It forced me to look at food differently.

At first, I cleaned things up because I had to. But then I started feeling better — not just “less unwell”, but more energy, better digestion, a clearer head, and a better mood.

It became a tool I could use to intentionally feel my best.

I was thinking about this last week because in the past, I’d treat a week away like an excuse to abandon all habits: “Sure it’s holidays, I’ll eat whatever.” Don’t get me wrong — we still enjoyed ourselves. We had treats. We didn’t obsess.

But the difference now is that I like how I feel when I eat well, so I don’t want to throw it away for a week.

The key shift for me hasn’t been “more discipline”.

It’s been more interest.

• Interest in what I’m eating.

• Interest in how it’s going to make me feel after.

• Interest in learning how to make food that’s both tasty and good for me.

Takeaway: Instead of asking, “What do I feel like eating right now?”, I’ve started asking: “What can I make that I’ll enjoy and feel good after?”

Reps Make It Easy (In the Kitchen Too)

Cooking is a skill — and like any skill, the more you practice, the easier it gets.

Healthy cooking and eating will feel easier over time. When you can cook a few simple, go-to meals you genuinely love, good choices become the default.

I shared some of the meals we whipped up in the van throughout the week, each taking no more than 30 minutes to prepare and cook.

Some dishes took more effort than others, while some were simply a matter of tossing together a few ready-to-go ingredients like protein, veggies, and fruit.

Hannah and I have done it so often now we just decide what to make and almost go into autopilot. It barely feels like any effort to put something together.

So if you’re someone who feels like nutrition is hard, here’s the reframe I’d offer:

1. Don’t start by trying to be perfect.

2. Start by getting curious.

Pick one meal this week and try to make it 10% better:

• add an extra handful of veg

• make sure there’s a solid protein source

• add more colour to the plate with fruit or salad

• find one recipe you actually enjoy making

Because the goal isn’t to eat “clean” forever.

The goal is to build habits that make you feel strong, energized, and in control — without losing the joy of food along the way.

The Discomfort of Being a Beginner

“It’s funny how your idea of discomfort can turn into your favourite way to travel”.

An old mate of mine sent me that message after seeing a few clips from the campervan trip — he was bang on.

If you’d asked me a year ago if I’d travel around Ireland in a van, I would’ve said no way. Less space, less comfort, no bathroom—it sounds bleak. But Hannah convinced me to give it a try, and I was up for it. Honestly, I didn’t think I’d enjoy it nearly as much as I have.

It made me think about how often we do this in other parts of life too — especially with health and fitness.

We build these stories about who we are and what we’re “not the type of person” to do. I’m not a gym person. I’m not a runner. I’m not someone who’d do a half marathon… or a Hyrox… or get in a boxing ring. But most of the time, those narratives aren’t truth — they’re the version of “comfort” we’ve gotten used to.

The minute you loosen your grip on the story and stay open to trying something new, you give yourself a chance to surprise yourself.

When I told friends and family about the camper, a few of them genuinely didn’t think I’d manage it. But they underestimated something I’ve leaned into for years:

I’m willing to be a beginner.

I did it when I first started training. I did it when I took up boxing. And now I’m doing it again — this time with the way I travel.

The truth is, feeling uncomfortable doesn’t always mean you’re doing something wrong or shouldn’t be doing it. Sometimes it simply means you’re stepping into something new, and it could be the start of discovering more about yourself and what you’re capable of.

Takeaway: If you’ve been telling yourself, “I’m just not that type of person,” about something you want to try, pick one small, slightly uncomfortable step this week. A new class, your first run, a beginner lift, or a new habit—and let action, not identity, speak for you.

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Reflection Questions:

• What does being in control feel like for you during tough efforts, and what’s one cue you can focus on this week to stay there—whether it’s your breathing, posture, cadence, or self-talk?

• When you’re away from routine, what are 2–3 “non-negotiables” that help you feel good without turning the week into an all-or-nothing situation?

• What’s one meal you can make 10% better this week (more protein, more colour, more veg)—and what would make it enjoyable to cook again?

• What story have you been telling yourself about what you’re “not the type of person” to do—and is there a small step you can take to challenge it?

What I’m Working On

Juggling life alongside my training, work, and personal ambitions.

I’ve been busy lately and finding it hard to make time for these weekly posts.

Still, the show goes on. The good news is that work has been picking up—our EPIC program in Stepaside is full, and we’re adding more classes for July.

I’ve also been making a bigger effort to enjoy life, and skipping last week’s post was part of that.

I think that’s something we all need to keep in mind. There’s no point in stressing out when you’re working toward a goal. Chances are, the whole reason you’re doing it is to create a better life, and if it causes more hassle than peace, is it really worth it?

The younger me might have believed it was worth sacrificing peace, but lately, I’m not so sure. It’s something I’m practicing myself and incorporating into my coaching philosophy as well.

Work to live, don’t live to work.

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Exploring different coaching options?

I may have less time to write, but that’s because I spend most of my time coaching—and I still have room for more. If you’re ready to take charge of your training and explore coaching options, I’m happy to chat.

Whether it’s in-person at Energie Fitness Stepaside or you prefer more structure and guidance delivered remotely, I have a few options available.

Don’t be a stranger—feel free to reach out. Even if it’s not meant to be, I might still be able to point you in the right direction.

“It doesn’t make sense to continue wanting something if you’re not willing to do what it takes to get it.

If you don’t want to live the lifestyle, then release yourself from the desire. To crave the result but not the process, is to guarantee disappointment.” — James Clear

This came up for me this week in my own life, and it keeps coming up in conversations with people I’m coaching at the gym.

Realistically, I think we all battle this at times. In today’s world it’s too easy to see something on TV, or on your phone, and think, “Yeah… I want a bit of that.” You get a hit of dopamine by just imagining the result.

But we forget about the work that happens behind the scenes: the boring sessions, early mornings, the inconvenience of sticking to the process when you don’t feel like it. And of course, saying no to the easy options along the way.

I caught myself this week wanting the outcome more than the lifestyle. I had to ask myself… do I actually want this badly enough, even if it means missing out on other things I care about?

The Gap Between Wanting and Doing.

We tell ourselves we want something, but when it’s time to show up and put in the work, a lot of us don’t even want to show up. Never mind do the work.

It creates a tension within us called cognitive dissonance.

It’s the uncomfortable friction you feel when your thoughts, beliefs, and actions don’t align. You say you want the result, but you keep choosing the lifestyle that makes the result impossible.

And because that discomfort is hard to sit with, we create a story and rationalize.

“I will start when work calms down.”

“It’s just genetics.”

“I have tried everything.”

Or, we lean into confirmation bias.

We look for the article, the post, or the person that tells us what we already want to believe, so we can feel better about staying the same.

That’s why motivation is rarely the answer, the real fix is to get honest about the trade-off.

If you want the outcome, you need the habits and the lifestyle that produce it.

And if you don’t want that lifestyle, that’s fine. Stop beating yourself up for not getting a result you’re not willing to pay for.

The Hidden Cost of Goals

Every goal comes at a price. It’s paid in the lifestyle it asks you to live:

• time

• energy

• money

• sleep

• social trade-offs.

The goals I’m referring to are outcome goals, essentially the destination you hope to reach. Examples I usually hear are getting “toned” for the summer, or achieving a PB in running or Hyrox.

But they’re not limited to health and fitness; they can just as easily be applied to your career, personal life, or financial goals.

The mistake many of us make when setting an outcome goal is skipping the question of what that goal will require from you every week?.

That’s why the goal you admire isn’t always the goal you should chase. If you’re not willing to change your behaviour and lifestyle, let it go.

Finding process goals that align with your lifestyle

Outcome goals are how to get started. The problem is when we fall in love with the outcome, but refuse to live the week-to-week lifestyle that will lead to it.

With coaching, I try to encourage people to work on process goals. “What repeatable actions can you take each week that move you toward the goal?”

If the process doesn’t fit your values, schedule, and energy, it’s not a plan. It’s wishful thinking.

To reach any meaningful goal, you need to stay consistent. It’s not just about discipline, willpower, or motivation—it’s about creating a process you can stick with, even on the weeks when you’re tired, busy, or just not feeling it.

A good process isn’t just about doing more and pushing your limits. It’s about balance, making room to relax, and enjoying the things that make you happy.

Of course, I want the process goals to cover a few non-negotiables:

• Training: 2 to 4 quality sessions per week you can recover from.

• Nutrition: protein at each meal, plenty of fruits and veggies for fibre, and no over-restricting that leads to a binge-and-restrict cycle.

• Steps and daily movement: simple, boring consistency.

• Progression: one small increase at a time, and planned easier weeks when needed.

But I’ve also learned to encourage:

• Social time: see friends, make plans, and keep relationships in the calendar.

• A weekly rest day: a deliberate day to switch off and recover without guilt.

• Meals out with family: enjoy the occasion, then get straight back to your normal routine.

• Time outdoors: a hike, a long walk, or just being in nature to reset the mind.

• Space away from the goal: stepping back is part of the process—it keeps the plan enjoyable, sustainable, and consistent long term.

Finding a process that fits your lifestyle takes some trial and error, but in the long run, it helps you stay on track without sacrificing your goals or what truly matters to you in life.

Or even better, you’ll come to realize you were chasing something that didn’t align with your values, and in doing so, saved yourself from missing out on what’s genuinely important to you.

Key takeaways:

• Fall in love with the process, not the outcome.

• If the plan doesn’t fit your values, schedule, and energy, it isn’t a plan.

• Consistency comes from a process you can repeat on your busiest, lowest-energy weeks.

• Sustainable progress is balance, not constant intensity.

• Keep a few non-negotiables simple and clear.

• Protect the lifestyle that makes consistency possible: social time, real rest, time outdoors, and space away from the goal.

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Reflection Questions:

• Name the outcome you are chasing right now. Are you living the lifestyle it actually requires?

• Have you had moments recently where you craved the result more than you were willing to commit to the process?

• Is there a hidden cost of your goal, and are you are willing to pay it?

• Is there a trade-off you are avoiding, and what changes if you chose to accept it?

• Define what “progress” looks like this week if you measure effort and alignment?

• Protect one non-negotiable this week, and is there one thing you can let go of?

What I’m Working On

I recently read a great quote from Dr. Wade Gilbert, and it made it clear how I’d like to move forward in the industry.

”A good coach doesn’t just develop athletes, but develops good people”.

My coaching style won’t be for everyone. We’re living in the era of social media, where looking good online can feel more important than being happy and content in our day-to-day lives.

Today’s article is how I’ve been thinking behind the scenes in my coaching, and how I’m trying to apply it in my own life too.

This week, I caught myself wanting to push on with my own goals while also wanting to keep my bucket topped spending more time with friends and family. They don’t always go hand in hand, and that didn’t feel great until I really thought it through.

Like I mentioned last week, if chasing big goals means draining every other bucket of your life to nothing for weeks or months on end… is it really worth it?

From my own life experience, I’ve realised things don’t always go as I initially planned. Sometimes, you just have to embrace change, adjust the plan, and let timelines shift.

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“The main thing is I really, really enjoyed it. Like proper enjoyed the whole thing… it was so much fun.”

That was the message I got from Andy after his first half ironman last weekend.

A few months back, Andy came to me looking for a plan to get him ready. I told him straight up that ironman/triathlon coaching isn’t my lane and that he’d probably be better off joining a tri club. But Andy said, “I just want to have a bit of a laugh with a mate and not have to think about what training to do.”

Fair enough.

So we kept it simple. I leaned on what I know, spoke to a few people about ironman and swim training, added a bit of common sense, and we put a plan together. Andy executed and as the message suggests, it went great.

It also reminded me of something I think we can forget when we’re setting goals and trying to push ourselves:

You’ve got to enjoy what you’re doing.

Working with a Coach: Train for the Day, Not the Idea

Ambitious goals are a brilliant way to prove to ourselves what we’re capable of. They build confidence, create memories, and can give training a bit of purpose beyond “staying fit.”

Lately, everyone’s signing up for a Hyrox, Tryka, or a half marathon — it’s class. But I’ve noticed the same event can leave two people with totally different stories.

Some people come away buzzing and immediately eyeing up the next one. Others come away talking about how stressful it was, how hard it felt, and how they’d never go near it again.

Not everyone cares about podiums or PBs, I get that (it’s probably a good thing). But working with a coach is often the difference between enjoying race day and spending it thinking, “Why did I sign up for this?”

Take Andy’s half ironman. The goal of our training wasn’t to make him suffer for the sake of it. It was to expose him to the same kind of fatigue he’d feel on the day, and to practice fueling properly. Without those rehearsals, after the 1.9km swim, that 90km bike and 21km run up the mountains could have turned into a long, miserable slog.

It’s the same story across all these events. Working with an experienced coach means you’re ready for what’s coming and not feeling like crap when it dawns on you that you haven’t prepared. Instead, you get to actually take it in, enjoy the atmosphere, and maybe even have enough in the tank to push on and surprise yourself.

Key Takeaways:

• Pick a goal that excites you, then build training that makes you look forward to showing up.

• A good coach doesn’t just chase PBs. They help you prepare for the demands of the day, so you can stay present and enjoy the atmosphere.

• The win is consistency. When training feels manageable and meaningful, you’re far more likely to stick with it long enough for the big results to show up.

Enjoying the process, not fixating on the outcome

“To start, you need to attach yourself to the outcome. You need a goal that pulls you out the door, a plan that gives you direction, and a timeline that creates a sense of urgency. But after that, you have to detach. You need to improvise, adapt, and trust the process when the timeline shifts, because it will”.

We all start our journeys in health, fitness and sport with different goals, for different reasons.

The motivation might be intrinsic, such as personal fulfilment and internal satisfaction. Or it might be extrinsic, like status or recognition (in my own journey, I’ve ebbed and flowed between the two).

Over the years, I’ve met every type of starter. Some join a “28-day challenge” and end up training for years. Others walk into a boxing gym dreaming of an Irish title and disappear after two weeks.

The pattern is always the same. The people who stick around, who keep showing up day after day and keep pushing themselves, are the ones who are enjoying it. They’re having fun.

So yes, we do need an outcome at the start, whether it’s for a “good” reason or not. A goal gets you moving. But if you can learn to enjoy the training itself and build a relationship with it. That makes it far more likely you’ll still be doing it a year from now.

Andy had a target time in mind, which gave us a rough idea of what pacing should look like for the swim, bike, and run. He went a bit over. The hills and the heat didn’t help. But by focusing on feel, good fueling, and enjoying everything, he still clocked a great time and is looking forward to doing another half ironman in the future.

Key Takeaways:

• Pick a goal that excites you, then build training you actually enjoy. Enjoyment is what makes consistency possible.

• Use the outcome to get started, but detach from it once you’re moving. Focus on the daily process and trust it when timelines shift.

Don’t Neglect the Other Buckets

Andy didn’t follow the exact plan in the lead-up to the race.

We’ve been mates since we’re about 13. He’s a messer (wonder why we get on), he likes to do his own thing, and I’m fairly sure I got a small taste of what teachers had to put up with back in school.

On occasion I was a little annoyed, but then I realised I was happy he went off-plan.

One week it was football for “active recovery”… which was not recovery at all. But it kept him happy, and there are undeniable benefits to the that kind of movement, especially when most of your training is just running and cycling in straight lines.

Then there was a heavy day out a few weeks before the race. King’s Day in the Netherlands is a proper piss up. Andy would never miss a piss up. I wasn’t exactly delighted, especially when he got sick for a few days afterwards.

But again, I was glad he did.

Because like I mentioned a few weeks ago, you can’t ignore all the other buckets in your life. Training and ambitious goals are in one bucket. Your mates and your social life are in another, that bucket is just as important.

Yes, big goals come with sacrifices.

But if chasing them means draining every other bucket to nothing for weeks or months on end… is it really worth it?

Key Takeaways:

• The plan only works if it leaves room for the rest of your life. Protect the buckets that keep you grounded.

• Purposely build in flexibility. A bit of “off-plan” movement and social time can keep motivation high and burnout low.

• Big goals ask for sacrifice, but they should not demand depletion. If the cost is emptying every other bucket, it’s time to rethink the approach.

Reflection Questions:

• What goal are you chasing right now, and does the process you’re following make you excited to train this week?

• When you notice yourself gripping the outcome tightly, what’s one way you could shift back to focusing on today’s process?

• Which “bucket” in your life has been running low lately (training, work, relationships, social, recovery), and what small action would help refill it without derailing your goals?

• Where could a little more flexibility help you stay consistent long term, and what boundary would keep that flexibility from turning into avoidance?

What I’m Working On

I’ve always believed that to be an effective coach, you need to have been in the arena yourself. That’s why I’ve always felt confident coaching boxing, running, Hyrox, strength training, fat loss, and more. I’ve done it all. I’ve made the mistakes. I’ve learned the lessons.

But I’ve never completed a half ironman. I made that crystal clear to Andy. But he was confident in the swim, and I was confident that enough principles would carry over from my own training history: fueling, recovery, addressing limiting factors and learning how to simulate the demands of race day.

I also did a lot of research on what half ironman training should look like. To be honest, a lot of plans I found had too much. They ignored the reality of having a full-time job and wanting some sort of social life. So between my research and conversations with Mateus at Energie, an experienced triathlon coach, it turned out to be a solid plan.

The biggest lesson from working with Andy is simple: do enough to enjoy race day, and not so much that the process becomes miserable.

I’ve spoken before about the minimum effective dose, consistency, and playing the long game. Sometimes those ideas can feel a bit abstract, or hard to tie to a real example. Coaching Andy through this build-up made it real for me.

Enjoyment matters, in training and on the day. Because without enjoyment, consistency never lasts.

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"If you think you know everything, then you know nothing" - Jayce O’Neal.

I pulled this line out during a conversation with a gym member this week.

For context, I get on well with this guy, lots of slagging and great craic between us. On paper, he’s your dream to work with. Shows up, trains hard, doesn’t skip the uncomfortable stuff… but there’s one thing that undoes all of that.

He thinks he knows it all.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t know everything. I’m still learning every week, and I’ve been caught out before acting like I’ve the answer before I’ve listened properly.

But that’s the difference. I can accept being wrong sometimes, because being wrong is when we learn. It’s when we find the tweak that changes everything. The habit we didn’t realise was holding us back. The small cue that helps us to continue progressing.

But some people are so committed to being right that they’re almost allergic to coaching. Every bit of feedback becomes a debate. Every suggestion is met with “Yeah, I know” or an excuse for why it won’t work for them.

The people who progress fastest aren’t the ones who “know the most”. They’re the ones who can say, “I don’t know… show me.”

So this week, that’s the theme. Stay coachable. Not just in the gym, but in everything.

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The psychology of “I already know”

Most people who come across as a “know-it-all’s” are not intentionally trying to be difficult. It’s usually a mix of overconfidence and identity protection.

• Overconfidence and the Dunning–Kruger effect: This shows up when someone overestimates their skill or knowledge in an area and lacks the ability to see what they’re missing. They’re genuinely confident, but they lack the awareness to see how little they actually know.

• Confirmation bias: Once we have a belief, we find evidence that supports it and dismiss what threatens it. In coaching, this is the “Yeah, I know” followed by a reason the advice doesn’t apply.

• Cognitive dissonance: If feedback suggests “I’m doing this wrong”, it creates discomfort. A quick way to reduce discomfort is to argue and defend.

• Ego and identity: Health and fitness behaviours can be tied to self-worth, self-image, and belonging. If the advice feels like a threat to identity, the brain will treat it that way.

How to stop being a “know-it-all”

“Know-it-all” behaviour is usually a threat response. When your brain feels like your status, competence, or identity is on the line, it grabs certainty and doubles down.

If some of my family, close friends, or Hannah read this, they’ll probably have a laugh, because I’ve played the “Yeah, I know” card more times than I’d like to admit. So this isn’t a lecture, it’s something I’m still working on.

The goal is simple: lower the threat and build better feedback habits, so you can stay coachable instead of turning every bit of advice into a debate. Sometimes we just need to pause for a second and realise what the person’s intention is behind the feedback.

A lot of the time I take it as criticism, whereas the reality is it’s a friend or family member trying to help me. But sometimes my ego, mood, and stress levels can make me believe they’re attacking my character.

How to become more coachable (and make faster progress)

Becoming more coachable will do more for your progress than any specific exercise or supplement. Here are a few ways to practice being more open to feedback.

• Swap “Is this true?” for “What part of this could be useful?” You don’t have to accept 100% of feedback to find some benefit in it.

• Ask for specifics. “What would you do differently this week if you were me?”. Specifics reduce defensiveness and make action easier. You might even realise they noticed something you overlooked.

• Use a 24-hour rule if feedback triggers you. If the feedback irritates you, don’t start a debate. “Let me have a think about it and come back to you” is a good line.

• Separate identity from behaviour. “I’m not failing. I’m just doing something that could be improved”. That reframe helps a lot.

• Track outcomes: data turns feedback into an experiment, you have measurable proof that the advice works (or doesn’t).

Why advice from close friends and family can land badly

Something else I’ve been thinking about is why it’s easier to accept feedback from a coach, a mentor, or even a stranger online than from someone close to us.

• Role conflict: A partner, parent, or close friend is “supposed to support me”, not evaluate me. Advice feels like judgment even when it’s well-intended.

• Reactance (“don’t tell me what to do”): When advice sounds like a command, we push back.

• History and emotional load: Close relationships have history. A small comment can bring up years of old arguments or insecurity.

• Status and competence: Advice from someone close can feel like a status move: “I know better than you.” Even if wasn’t meant in that way.

Do you want my opinion, or do you just want me to listen?

It can be hard to accept feedback and advice from those close to us. It can be even harder to bite your tongue when someone you care about is doing something wrong, and you feel you could help.

But the truth is: being right isn’t always the same as being helpful.

Unsolicited advice can trigger that threat response, hitting the same spot as criticism. When someone feels judged, their brain goes into defence mode.

It can also lead to reactance. When people feel controlled, they do the opposite to prove they’re still in charge. So even if your advice is spot on, the delivery can unintentionally make their behaviour worse.

Sometimes the best move is to protect the relationship, because relationships are what create lasting change. They might not be ready to take your feedback now, but that doesn’t mean they won’t be in the future.

Try this: a simple best-practice rule is to ask first

• “Do you want my opinion, or do you just want me to listen?”

• “Are you open to feedback here, or should I leave it?”

If they say no, that’s a win. You just avoided giving a lecture and pissing them off.

Reflection Questions:

• What’s one area of your health or training where you’ve been a “know-it-all” instead of staying curious?

• When someone gives you feedback, what do you usually hear first: helpful intent, or criticism?

• What’s one specific question you could ask this week to get better coaching, instead of defending your current approach?

• If you tried the 24-hour rule once this week, what conversation or feedback would you choose to think about before responding?

• What small experiment could you run this week to test advice with data? (running, lifting, nutrition).

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What I’m Working On

When we think about great athletes, we think about running paces, 1-rep maxes, and all the physical qualities and skills that make them stand out.

When we think about great coaches, we usually jump straight to training systems, clever drills, and the big motivational talks that get people fired up.

All that stuff matters. But I think we forget that the real superpower on both sides is the ability to give feedback well, and the ability to take it without getting defensive.

Progress should never be about finding some secret hack or quick fix. It’s about hearing small things you might not want to hear, then having the maturity to say, “Fair point… I’ll give it a go,” and sticking with it long enough to see what happens.

That conversation this week reminded me to keep working on this: stay open to feedback, and find better ways to give it.

It was my dad’s birthday yesterday, so I thought it would only be fitting to give him a shout out here.

Speaking of giving and receiving feedback, that’s something we’ve really had to work on over the years! 😂🥊

But we’re getting a little better at it (depending on our moods).

Despite our differences, we’ve always found ways to come together and support one another, because there’s so much more to life than being “right.”

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“Raise the floor, not just the ceiling”.

I first heard that line from Cill O’Connor and it stuck with me because I’m always chasing the next target. I’ve had plenty of sessions where I walked in feeling okay, but then walked out frustrated because I didn’t hit the exact numbers I’d planned.

If you’re training hard and trying to level up, you’re going to have off days.

Being hyper-focused on constantly raising your ceiling inevitably sets you up for disappointment. Why? Because we’re all trying to balance our training with the demands of work and life.

Sometimes everything lines up, and we can balance everything in perfect harmony. Other times we’re stressed, under-recovered, and not capable of making the progress we feel entitled to.

Instead of judging yourself by your best days, start comparing your bad days to your old bad days.

Run by feel and improvise

Everyone’s jumping on the pacing bandwagon. I did too. I had every km tracked and if I couldn’t hit the pace, I felt like something was wrong.

Lately I’ve been doing the opposite, trying to run by feel and improvise a bit more.

Some days I feel great and I can push more than I expected. Other days I’m tired, and instead of forcing myself to hit a number, I take it as a sign to pull it back and just focus on form and technique.

Even in a hard session, you want to feel like you’re in control. I’m noticing my running has come on loads since I dropped the obsession with pace. It’s more reacting to how I feel on the day, and less slogging it out for the sake of it.

There’s still a time and a place for those gruelling workouts where you need to hold yourself accountable to a pace. But if you’re constantly doing this and digging a hole for yourself a few times a week, the main thing you’re training is your ability to endure pain and discomfort.

You can end up undoing a lot of the benefit by going too hard, too often.

Takeaway: Next week, have an idea of the paces you’d like to run at, but switch off during the workout. Run by feel, then check how it went afterwards.

A few years ago, my running goal was to break 20 minutes for a 5k—now it’s a standard training run. I’m not trying to show off (maybe a little), but it shows the power of consistency.

Lifting and Running in Tandem

My main priority in training at the moment has been running. My grand plans of a sub-3-hour marathon were derailed by injury, and I just fell short of a sub-80-minute half marathon, but the show goes on.

I’ve stuck with my gym program, a 2-day total-body split, with the main goal of improving my depth and strength in the barbell back squat. Why? I’ve been caught out twice on the wall balls in Hyrox, and I reckon improving my ability to squat is one of the keys to breaking my 1:06 PB.

Over the past few months, I’ve almost doubled the weight I’m squatting (using 5x5), and it now feels much easier and more comfortable to squat hips below knees (when I started, I looked like one of those foldable chairs you bring out when it’s sunny).

But progress hasn’t been linear. Some days I’m too tired from running to stick to the numbers I planned to hit, so I still do the session but with less weight. Other days I feel surprisingly good, so I push it a little more.

That’s the key: understanding the goal each week and making sure I don’t jeopardise it by forcing weights and reps that aren’t there. Some weeks I can push both, others I need to be more selective.

This week: Decide what your priority is for the week. Is it lifting or smashing your runs? What would jeopardise it? What helps you show up to the important sessions in top shape?

Keep the ego in check (raise the floor)

The most important part of all of this is your mindset, your attitude, and your ego in training.

If you’re anything like me, you want it all at once. Faster running. Heavier lifts. Better race times. Whether it’s running, Hyrox, Tryka, or whatever you’re chasing, the truth is you can improve a lot of things, but you usually can’t sustain big improvements in everything at the same time.

I’ve learned this the hard way in my own training by doing too much, and expecting myself to consistently improve at everything. As a beginner, you can do that for a while, and I think that’s what misleads a lot of us into believing we can keep it up forever.

But if you’re trying to improve over the long-term, the aim of the game is consistency. Odds are, to stay consistent, you’ll only be able to push one lever at a time (running or strength, speed or endurance, etc.).

To start, you need to attach yourself to the outcome. You need a goal that pulls you out the door, a plan that gives you direction, and a timeline that creates a sense of urgency. But after that, you have to detach. You need to improvise, adapt, and trust the process when the timeline shifts, because it will.

Takeaway: Be honest, have you been getting caught up in chasing numbers and beating yourself up both physically and mentally?

Reflection Questions:

• What’s one area of training where you’ve been chasing the “ceiling” and ignoring the progress of raising your floor?

• In your next run, what would it look like to switch from pace-chasing to running by feel?

• This week, what is your true priority: running, lifting, or recovery, and what choices can you make to protect that priority?

• Where has ego been creeping into your training lately, and what would a more patient, process-first mindset look like for the next seven days?

What I’m Working On

Being boring, but consistent.

In any pursuit, the most successful people are usually the ones who keep turning up, day after day, month after month, year after year. I’ve seen this first hand in boxing, running and the gym.

A lot of ambitious people know consistency is key, and they’re happy to go all in. But the issue is, when you’re ambitious and you start learning to love hard training, you can end up loving it a bit too much.

“The medicine is in the dose”.

Sometimes we need to stop chasing the highs from those tough sessions and races by focusing on recovery and doing things easy (raising the floor).

The problem is, that doesn’t give us our fix. It feels too boring. It feels counterproductive to what we’re trying to do. So we keep hammering tough sessions, inevitably get injured, or have to pull it back for a while. Losing the very thing we knew all along: consistency.

Ambition is great, but “chaotic ambition is reactive, comparative, and rushed. It leads to frustration and burnout.” - Jonathan Goodman.

A lot of people will have to learn that themselves (me). The smarter ones will take the advice and avoid it (not me).

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A quick personal note

I’ve noticed I can separate nearly all of the people I’ve coached 1-1 or in group coaching into two groups. Those who need the whip, and those who need the leash.

People think coaching is about constantly pushing people to their limits. It’s not.

Today was more directed at the group who need the leash (you dogs). If anything here hit home and you want to chat, reach out. No big pitch, lets just see what's up.

Build a system that gets you moving before motivation arrives.

Sunday night I was charged up, ready for the week ahead.

Chill day. Ate well. Journaled. Early night. I went to bed thinking, I’ve done everything I need to set up a great week.

Monday morning came and I just wasn’t arsed.

Groggy. Flat. Couldn’t be arsed with work, couldn’t be arsed with training, couldn’t be arsed with life. The ambition and drive was gone.

However: I still kept to my routine. Meals. Work. Training. After a tough bag session boxing Monday evening, I felt like myself again.

So what happened? Why did I wake up like that? Did I suddenly become “undisciplined”? Was it a sign the week was a write-off?

I did a bit of research and it turns out, it’s just part of being human.

Why this happens

Sunday night you’re usually in future-self mode.

You think about the week ahead with none of the costs attached. No alarm. No stress. No effort. Your brain can promise you anything when it’s not 5:20am.

When Monday morning arrives, you wake up in current-body mode.

Tired, slightly dehydrated, and coming off the weekend sleep rhythm, it can leave you in a low-arousal state. In simple terms: your nervous system is still half asleep and your brain is leaning toward comfort and conservation.

When you feel like this, it changes everything.

• Effort feels bigger than it is.

• The day feels heavier than it is.

• Your brain starts negotiating: “Just do it tomorrow.”

Why training “fixed” it

You don’t think your way back to motivation.

You move your way back.

Training is a full-on state change. Heart rate and body temperature go up. Adrenaline. Dopamine. Oxytocin (if you train with a fun group). It’s a win for the day, and proof you’re not stuck.

Sometimes, you don’t need motivation to start training. You need training to start motivation.

How my environment made the right choice easy

I didn’t just train. I also ate like I normally would.

Overnight protein oats with berries for brekkie. Big green salad with homemade coleslaw and spicy tuna for lunch. Then a batch-cooked Moroccan tagine we made on Sunday for dinner.

Boring stuff that kept me on track.

Me and Hannah used Sunday to get ourselves set up, so all the “right” choices were easier to make.

If we hadn’t, I know exactly what would’ve happened. I’d have ordered a takeaway, sacked off training, and told myself I’d start again tomorrow.

I just want to add that there’s nothing wrong with ordering takeaway and giving yourself a bit of extra “self-love.” We all need that sometimes. But in today’s world, I feel many are too quick to choose the easy option, creating this constant cycle of wanting, struggling, failing, regretting, and wanting again.

The takeaway (no pun intended)

If you wake up flat, don’t treat it as a personality defect. Don’t spiral and throw the plan for the day out the window.

Get up and start with the simplest task that kicks off the chain, making it easier to keep making the “right” choices. Wait until after you’ve worked out and had some nutritious food before deciding to write yourself off.

Because some days, motivation doesn’t arrive first. You have to earn it.

Reflection Questions:

• When you wake up flat, what’s the easiest action that reliably gets you back on track? (walk, cold shower, a workout)?

• In that low-energy state, do you stick to your plan or spiral?

• What’s one training session or routine that consistently creates a mood shift for you? Can you make it easier to start on your “not arsed” mornings?

• Nutrition check: when you feel like this, what do you tend to reach for, what’s one “default meal” you can keep ready that supports your plan instead?

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What I’m Working On

Just tipping away with training, coaching, and life this week. No highlight reels. No major discoveries other than noticing that Monday morning slump.

I felt compelled to write about it because 1. it happens every now and again, and 2. I recently had a conversation with a member in the gym about it. They were surprised to hear I don’t always feel like training.

To be honest, a lot of the time I don’t feel like training. Probably more often than many would think. But I’ve developed this in-built system of turning up, regardless of how I feel.

That’s also likely one of the reasons why, in recent years, I’ve had more of a problem with overtraining than undertraining. But there was a time when that wasn’t the case, and I’d find any reason to skip a workout or push it out until tomorrow.

What helps me now is having my whole week mapped out on a Sunday evening. When I’m going to train. What and when I’m going to eat. And more recently, backup plans for when work or life gets in the way.

It really isn’t rocket science. It’s about focusing on one thing at a time, building a system that works for me, and remembering why I’m doing it in the first place.

A quick personal note

Boxing often gets a bad rap, both in the professional and amateur scenes. Poor judging, questionable refereeing, and bad sportsmanship can overshadow the sport.

But beneath all the noise, there’s a real beauty to it. Especially in the amateur game. Watching coaches walk down the steps with their boxers, guiding and mentoring them through their careers, it’s pure class.

Most of these coaches give their time freely, unpaid, purely for the love of the sport and to help these young men and women chase their passion—something you don’t see too often in today’s world.

No Instagram reels, no gimmicks, no quick-fix schemes for easy money. When a young boxer shows up day after day, week after week, ready to learn, listen, and put in the work, these coaches can help them achieve great things.

We could all take a lesson from that.

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Happy, but never fully satisfied.

We’ve all heard of the “hedonic treadmill”, or the “arrival fallacy”. The idea that once you hit a specific goal, you’ll finally feel happy. But in reality, you just move the goalposts and start chasing the next thing.

The carrot is always out in front of you. It feels like it’s in touching distance, but it’s never quite close enough to catch. Some people say it’s not a carrot at all. It’s a dragon. I’ll let you decide which one you’re chasing. For me, it’s definitely the dragon.

I beat my personal best by a few seconds. I reckon I would’ve gone sub-80 if I’d started further up the pack in my wave. I got held up a few times and my first 5k was way slower than I planned, but I’m happy.

It’s okay to want more and keep pushing yourself, but only if you can be grateful for how far you’ve come and you’re genuinely enjoying the process of becoming.

Training (and Life): The Delayed Training Effect (LDTE)

Compared to my last half marathon PB, I only shaved off a few seconds… even though I clocked nearly double the mileage in the build-up. On paper, that should’ve been a bigger jump.

Verkhoshansky’s delayed training effect is the idea that the best results from a hard training block often show up later. Not during the grind, but after you pull back a bit, drop the fatigue, and let the body absorb the work you’ve done.

For most people, that tends to land about 7 to 21 days after a hard block. But sometimes it can take 3 to 6 weeks, depending on how deep a hole you dug and how well you’ve been recovering.

This has been on my mind because I tapered coming into the half and hoped the easier week would have me feeling fresh and flying. I felt good going into the race, but in hindsight I probably just needed more time for all that work to actually land.

If I look at it through Verkhoshansky’s lens, the fitness was there. The race just arrived a week or two early for the full payoff. That’s how it goes sometimes.

This isn’t just a training thing, it shows up everywhere.

You do the work to lose bodyweight and the scales do nothing. A week later, after a few solid nights of sleep and a calmer week, it drops.

You put months into your business, content, or career, and it feels quiet… until one day the compounding effort kicks in and opportunities arrive out of nowhere.

Sometimes you don’t peak at the moment you planned to. But that does not mean the work was wasted. It just means the result is on delay.

Takeaway: Think of something you worked hard for that didn’t pay off when you expected it to. A race, a job move, a business push, a relationship, a body comp goal. If the result hasn’t landed yet, don’t treat the effort like a loss. Assume it’s still loading and keep showing up long enough for the payoff to arrive.

Recovery: Social Recovery

One of the best recovery strategies is social recovery.

When you’re with your mates and you’re having ta laugh, your body is basically getting a little chemical hug. You get hit with all the good stuff: dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin. Your nervous system chills out, your stress drops, and you start feeling like a person again instead of a walking to-do list with tight hamstrings.

Sometimes that might involve a few pints. Sometimes it won’t not. Either way, that’s not the point. The point is the joy.

Feeling happy, relaxed, and connected will beat a sauna, a cold plunge, and compression boots nine times out of ten. If you can do both, ideal. If you can’t, don’t stress about it. Just go see your friends, have a laugh, and chill out.

We get so caught up chasing “optimal” recovery that we miss the whole point of it in the first place: feeling relaxed and enjoying life!

Takeaway (try this): Pick one day this week and schedule some social recovery. Text a mate and lock in something easy, a walk, a coffee, or dinner. Treat it like a training session: no guilt, no cancelling, no “I’ll do it when I’m less busy”. After, do a quick check-in: how’s your stress, mood, and sleep that night? If it helps, make it a weekly non-negotiable.

Mindset: Ambition Without Blind Spots

One of the downsides of being ambitious and driven is that you never really reach that moment where you feel like you’ve “done it”. It’s not limited to sport either. It can be your job, body comp, business, anything where you’re trying to become a better version of yourself.

We get so absorbed in improving one area of our lives that it starts to take from others. The athlete who never sees friends because they won’t skip training. The friend who avoids dinner out because they’re trying to lose weight. The start-up owner who’s never really present because their head is always elsewhere.

I couldn’t live without goals to aim at. For me, they add purpose, meaning, and a sense of accomplishment to my days. But I’ve learned I need to check myself every now and again, so I don’t get carried away and remember there is a lot more to life.

Because when you’re ambitious, there are trade-offs. That’s part of the deal. But if the trade-off becomes a long-term sacrifice from things that actually matter, like never being present, never feeling happy, and never making memories, then you’ve got to ask what you’re paying for.

Try This: The 3 Bucket Scan
Once a week (Sunday evening job), take 2 minutes and rate these three buckets out of 10:
- Body: training, food, sleep, recovery
- People: friends, partner, family, community
- Purpose: work, goals, learning, projects

If one bucket is flying but the other two have gone to shite a few weeks in a row, that’s a sign you’ve got your blinkers on. The fix isn’t to ditch the goal. It’s to rebalance it. Schedule one small thing this week for the bucket you’ve been neglecting and treat it as a non-negotiable.

That’s how you can chase big goals without missing your own life in the process.

I’m terrible at topping up the people bucket. I don’t see my friends enough, don’t put in enough effort to connect with my family, and always find excuses for being too busy. I’m working on it, but I guess that’s the trade-off for my ambitious goals.

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Reflection Questions:

• What have you been working away at lately that might still be “loading” and not ready to show up yet?

• Where could you chill out and let the work sink in a bit more, instead of pushing harder again straight away?

• When was the last time you felt properly recharged just by being around your people, and how can you do more of that this week?

• If you did the “3 Buckets” scan right now, which bucket’s been getting neglected, and what’s one small thing you’ll lock in to balance it?

What I’m Working On

At the start of this year, I lost the run of myself. I was chasing the wrong things, not present, and my expectations were miles away from the reality in front of me. I’ve learned those lessons before… but I forgot them and I paid for it.

Wanting more is allowed. Pushing yourself is part of the deal. But if the chase starts costing you your peace, your people, and your ability to enjoy the day you’re in, that’s not building a better life.

Through coaching, I’m starting to see that being a great coach is less about flashy sessions, sets, and reps, and more about helping people understand what’s going on upstairs. Training is important, of course. A lot of people just need a plan and a bit of direction. But plenty of people need more help with thought patterns, stress, confidence, and understanding how their mental, emotional, and social well-being connect to their physical health and performance.

Most of the best coaching I’ve received had nothing to do with what I did in the gym. Because if you’re not in a good place outside of training, exercise won’t magically fix you. It helps and it’s a powerful tool. But it’s not a plaster for everything.

A quick personal note

Not much gym-based stuff today. Might be a bit too deep for some people, but I write what’s on my mind. I don’t care about algorithms.

I’m seeing loads of great content from great coaches, but there’s very little talk about this side of it. I’ve been having some great conversations with people lately, and it’s just making this so clear to me.

What happens in your life can have a huge impact on your physical health. Stress eating, stress workouts, endless scrolling, disrupted sleep, feeling overwhelmed by too much information, social comparison — the list goes on.

I’m not saying that like I’ve got it all figured out. I’m working through my own stuff. We all are.

But if being a bit more honest here helps someone come to terms with what they’re dealing with too, it’s worth it.

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Everything is getting so complicated.

In the gym, apparently we need these hyper-specific exercises to excel at our sport.

For running, we need to hit exact paces and track every metric going.

With nutrition, we need all these expensive supplements and foods for “optimal” health.

And now we need cryotherapy, a red light, compression boots, and a small mortgage to recover properly.

It’s overwhelming.

To be clear, I’m not saying any of these things are inherently a waste of time, or that they won’t provide some sort of benefit.

But I’ve been around this long enough to know what’s important. And, more importantly, what’s not important.

Between 5+ years of coaching and 10 years on this mission to better myself, I’ve learned that a lot of what’s sold as “essential” really doesn’t move the needle. I’d know, because I’ve tried plenty of it.

So today, I’m going to go through a few things that actually matter, and what’ll move the needle for most of us.

Training: Keep It Simple and Consistent

The ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) brought out its first proper update in 17 years last month, tweaking its resistance training guidelines for healthy adults.

Check it out here: Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise

They looked at 137 systematic reviews, with data from over 30,000 people.

Long story short: the confusing stuff people love to argue about (training frequency, the exact load, volume, exercise selection, even the equipment) matters a lot less than showing up consistently and putting in a solid effort.

It also put a few old “rules” in the bin, like always needing to train to failure, needing loads of variety or fancy gear to progress, or beginners needing some totally different plan than everyone else.

Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned athlete, you'll never truly perfect the basics, which is why we should never stop practicing them.

The message is fairly straightforward: consistency beats complexity.

A good program is one that fits your goals, you genuinely enjoy doing, and that feels like something you can stick to long-term. If it is such a stress that you cannot keep it up, it stops working.

Takeaway: If you had to do your current routine exactly as it is for the next 12 weeks, would you actually enjoy it? Could you realistically keep it going? If the answer is no, the best upgrade might be making it more simple, not complex.

Recovery: Slow Down to Speed Up

Any of you regular readers will know I had a dose of tendonitis recently. That kind of injury can drag on for months.

I got the full menu of suggestions: go to a physio, get dry needling, get a massage. The list goes on.

I didn’t do any of it.

Mainly because I didn’t fancy spending mad money. But also because I wanted to see if I could fix it myself, without the spending.

So instead of throwing the kitchen sink at it, I focused on a few boring things:

1. Reduce my training load: I kept myself fit aerobically by tipping away on the ski-erg, row-erg, and assault bike. But overall, I trained less and chilled out more.

2. Prioritise sleep: I have to open the gym a few times a week, and I’m generally up before 7am every day anyways. So I made sure I was winding down and ready to sleep between 9–10pm most nights. It’s basically the same sleep schedule as my niece Rosie (who just turned 7 months old), but it works for me (and Rosie, of course).

3. Food quality: I really focused on whole foods. More of the anti-inflammatory stuff like blueberries and turmeric. But I made a point to avoid sugar and ultra-processed food. Not to keep myself skinny, but because those foods can fan the flames when something’s already irritated.

A simple plan for a simple dude who likes to be in bed by 9pm. Considering I couldn’t run a few weeks ago and now I’m running the half marathon this Sunday, you can’t say I was wrong.

Takeaway: Before you add fancy recovery tools, do the basics for 2 weeks. Train a little less. Sleep a little more. Eat like an adult. If things still aren’t moving in the right direction, then go shopping for extras.

p.s. There’s nothing wrong with going to a physio or getting a massage. I’ll definitely need some in the future. I just wanted to prove to myself there are other ways to heal and recover without spending more money.

Mindset: Why Our Brains Love Quick Fixes

If you’ve ever bought a supplement, a fancy recovery gadget, or a brand-new training plan and felt a rush of motivation… that’s not a bad thing. That’s being human.

We’re wired to chase immediate reward. It’s called present bias: we overvalue what feels good right now, and undervalue what pays off later.

That’s why:

• A new program feels more exciting than another week of the basics.

• A “detox” feels more satisfying than eating boring, balanced meals.

• A cold plunge feels like it’s doing more than going to bed on time.

It’s also why we keep jumping from idea to idea. Not because the basics don’t work. Because the basics don’t always give us a dopamine hit.

The other trap is variable reward. It’s the same psychology that makes slot machines addictive. Some quick-fix things sometimes work (at least short-term), which keeps us coming back and believing the next one will be the answer.

Meanwhile the unsexy stuff works in a much less dramatic way:

• A small calorie deficit most days leads to significant weight loss.

• Consistent weekly progressive strength training leads to a new personal best.

• A consistent bedtime more often than not helps you recharge and perform.

Keep showing up, nail the basics and let time work its magic.

Takeaway: Stop asking “What’s the best thing?” and start asking “What’s the simplest thing I can repeat?”

Reflection Questions:

• Where have you been adding complexity lately (training, nutrition, recovery), and what is one “boring basic” you could commit to for the next 14 days?

• If you had to follow your current training routine exactly as-is for the next 12 weeks, would you genuinely enjoy it and stick with it? What would you simplify?

• What is one recovery habit you know works for you (sleep, load management, food quality) that you have been treating as optional? What would make it non-negotiable this week?

• Where are you chasing a quick fix for the dopamine hit? What longer-term payoff are you willing to prioritise instead?

What I’m Working On

I’ve fallen for plenty of these clever marketing tactics over the years. Selling ambitious, driven people a “quick fix” to achieve their goals is a very clever business to be in… but it’s rotten.

I had a chat with a distant cousin recently (@cilloconnor on Instagram). He’s a well-established coach in the industry and someone who really knows their stuff. I went into the chat half-hoping he’d hand me a quick fix for building my coaching business.

He didn’t 😂.

But something he said really hit home: “All the great coaches I know have one thing in common: they’ve consistently worked hard for a long period of time.” That’s a theme I’ve seen across the board in coaching, boxing, running, business, and general health.

Most successful people have been working on their craft for years. We just get fed up because we’re watching highlight reels on social media and we want whatever that is now, without the graft.

I’m still working on my coaching business and trying to figure out where I can add real value to people. One thing that’s become clear to me is that most people don’t need more. They need less. Less information, less complexity, less bullshit. Maybe that’s where I can fit in.

Dublin City Half Marathon this Sunday, I’m buzzing. I did a savage session in Cruagh Woods last weekend with TT racers and felt strong. I’ve tapered down training this week, keeping my routine but staying sharp and leaving plenty left in the tank.

The goal is a PB and to go sub-80 minutes. It’s ambitious, but I’m confident. I’ve deliberately stayed out of the boxing gym and I’ve never run this much in the lead-up to a race.

PB or not, I’m looking forward to the race-day energy and seeing some familiar faces.

Let it rip 🚀.

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I’m always open to chatting or discussing anything that’s caught your attention. Whether you’re interested in coaching or not, it doesn’t matter. I’m happy to help point you in the right direction and share some different perspectives on things.

As expected, my “take it handy training run” turned into an all-out effort. I absolutely hammered it for a 38:42 and felt good. I had a full training week leading up to the race and I could feel it on those hills. It was my first official 10k race, so I’m happy out.

After bringing up imposter syndrome in last weeks newsletter, I was talking to a member in Energie that I’m working with, and he said something brilliant: “If you don’t back yourself, no one will.”

It got me thinking about training because so many people do back themselves — they show up, they put the work in, they’re consistent…

But they still feel like they’re not progressing.

Not because they’re lazy. Not because they “need more motivation”.

They’re just not following a plan that’s actually built around their goal.

Most people think coaching is just “accountability” or someone giving you a kick up the arse.

It’s not that simple.

Some of the people I work with don’t need motivation. They just need a plan that actually matches their goals, their lifestyle, and where they’re at right now.

Here’s what I mean (a few examples from Energie):

A Beginner’s Plan That Actually Works

A couple in their 60s came into Energie Fitness Stepaside.

I ended up chatting to them for a bit and they told me they’d literally never been in a gym before. Their doctor had basically said, “It’s time to start strength training.”

The man was straight up about it. He felt intimidated by gyms and like he didn’t belong.

Throwing them into classes would’ve been way too much. What they wanted was something simple they could do quietly, at their own pace, without feeling lost.

So I gave them a beginner plan that removes the two things that trip most people up at the start:

1. Not knowing what to do.

2. Trying to do too much, too soon.

The “5 Machines” Starter Plan (2 to 3 days per week)

• Pick 5 machines, each hitting a main muscle group.

• Do 3 sets on each.

• Aim for 8 to 12 reps per set.

• Rest 60 to 90 seconds between sets.

• Pick a weight where you feel like you could squeeze out 2 to 3 more reps if you had to.

If you have a family member or friend you’d like to encourage to start going to the gym, get them to do this. It’s boring. It’s repeatable and it builds confidence fast.

Because for beginners, the goal isn’t to find the perfect program.

The goal is to show up, do the basics, and leave thinking, “Yeah, I can come back and do that again.”

That initial chat was two months ago and they’re still showing up and getting their sessions done. The best part is we always have a bit of a laugh when I see them pop in. Gyms shouldn’t be intimidating, and that’s a point I’ve made wherever I’ve worked. Have a bit of craic and make everyone feel welcome.

Training for Tryka

Another Energie member is training for Tryka. She’s in here most days of the week, a busy parent, running a business and still finding time to train.

She caught the Tryka bug and is now aiming for her first solo race this summer.

The only problem? Her training was everywhere.

One exercise was cable work for “sculpting”. Next exercise it was a hard treadmill interval. Then it was sandbag lunges until her legs were on fire. The intent was there. The effort was there. But there was no direction.

So I had a quick chat and gave her one simple rule that fixes the chaos:

• Pick one focus per session.

• Strength days are for lifting and getting stronger.

• Running days are for building speed and fitness.

• Hybrid days can mix Tryka workouts and running, but with a plan.

Because when you try to do everything in one day, you usually end up doing nothing well.

The goal is not to “smash” every session.

It’s to focus on specific strengths and address limiting factors that will boost race-day performance and help you enjoy the experience!

Less Is More

Mark came to me 3 months ago looking for a training plan.

A regular in Energie, he shows up same days, same times and gets it done.

The issue? He was trying to do too much.

When I initially got him started, he pushed back on the plan wondering why there wasn’t more.

I cut down the number of days he was in the gym, the number of exercises in each session and he thought it would be too easy.

But once he actually followed the plan and started bringing more intent to the exercises that were in it, he was finding the sessions tough (in a good way).

Since then, he’s hitting PB’s in his 3 main lifts (back squat, bench and deadlift), putting on muscle, and looking leaner.

The lesson of “less is more” is one I’ve had to learn myself.

A lot of the time we don’t need a new program, a new supplement, or more “variety”.

We just need to do less things, but do those things really well.

If you’re training 4 or 5 days a week and still not moving forward, try this:

• Pick 1-3 main lifts you want to improve.

• Build your week around them.

• Track your numbers and aim to add a rep or a 2.5kg the following week.

It’s a tough pitch, but it always gets the job done.

Reflection Questions:

• Where are you putting in real effort, but still not moving forward? What’s missing: direction, simplicity, or the right goal?

• If you had to make your training week 20% simpler, what stays and what goes?

• If you commit to one focus for the next 7 days, what is it?

• What exercises could you narrow your focus on to drive more results?

What I’m Working On

Right now I’m finishing a new coaching offer that’s built around what I’ve seen again and again in Energie: a lot of people don’t need constant check-ins or hand-holding.

They just want to know, with confidence, that what they’re doing this week is actually moving them closer to the goal they care about.

It’s coaching, but it’s mainly about the plan.

A clear training roadmap that matches your goal, your schedule and your current level, so you can show up, train and progress without second guessing.

Because the more specific the goal, the more specific the approach has to be. Training for a half-marathon, building strength, and getting leaner are three different targets, they should not be trained the same way.

I’ve been working with a few people like this and it’s been going really well. If it seems like something you or someone you know might be interested in, I’m happy to chat.

Specific goals require specific approaches. Funny coming from someone who dabbles in Hyrox, running, and boxing. Jack of all trades, master of none.

I love the variety. It keeps me entertained, and I’m not sure which one I enjoy enough to stay focused on. Still, I’m learning from my mistakes and getting more specific when I need to.

My goal is to run the Dublin City Half Marathon in under 80 minutes. To do that while coming back from injury, I needed to focus on running and recovery. So to be fair, I’ve forced myself to stay out of the boxing gym, get more easy runs in, and fuel myself better ahead of sessions, including easy runs. I feel good.

See you next week 😎.

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Imposter syndrome hit me this week.

I looked at a few coaches online and it sent me spiraling. Who am I to coach? What do I even know? These guys are way more qualified than I’ll ever be.

It’s mad how fast your brain can take one scroll and turn it into a full identity crisis.

Coincidentally, I got a couple really nice comments in the gym from people I’ve helped, plus really positive feedback from some people I’m working with. Nothing huge, just small moments that reminded me that I can make a difference.

If you’ve felt similar lately, you’re not the only one. I think most of us deal with imposter syndrome at some point, especially when we’re chasing ambitious goals.

This week, I want to dig into it a bit more and talk about comparing ourselves to what we see online.

Mindset: Run Your Own Race

I was reading through messages in a WhatsApp group over the weekend and loads of people had done the Tryka race.

One of the girls who finished it, her first solo, said she was a bit embarrassed about her time compared to some of the more experienced athletes.

Fair play to her for saying it, because that’s exactly how imposter syndrome shows up. Not as “I want to beat everyone”, but as “I don’t belong here”.

Once your brain lands on that, it does what brains do best: starts collecting evidence.

In behavioral psychology, this is social comparison. We use other people as a measuring stick, especially when we’re unsure of ourselves.

The problem is we almost always compare our behind-the-scenes to someone else’s highlight reel (social media). We compare our “chapter 2” to their “chapter 20”.

A reply to her message after was brilliant: “run your own race”.

Because if you zoom out, finishing your first solo race is savage. It’s progress. It’s identity change. It’s someone going from “I’d never do something like that” to “ I can do this and finish it.”

Imposter syndrome can show up anywhere, and while it’s meant to protect us, in modern life it usually just keeps us playing small and avoiding the stuff that would help us grow.

The best remedy sometimes is to tell someone how you’re feeling. I mentioned it to Hannah and her advice, alongside the good feedback I heard helped me realise my brain wasn’t doing me any favours.

To be honest, if I think back on the last few years, when I felt imposter syndrome it was generally a sign I was headed in the right direction.

This week: Pick one area where you have been quietly comparing yourself to others. Whether it is in work, sport, or anywhere else. Have you talked yourself out of something that you wanted to do?

Nutrition: Boring = Results

We see an influencers plate (that probably took them hours to make) and suddenly our dinner feels like it’s not good enough.

The truth: boring does it.

Most people get great results when their meals are fairly similar most days of the week.

Not because they can’t cook, but because it’s easier to be consistent and tick the simple boxes:

• Get enough protein.

• Get fibre in (fruit, veg, wholegrains).

• Keep ultra processed foods and added sugar as “sometimes” foods, not every day.

The whole food optimization culture is a money-making racket. There’s always a new “hack”, a new supplement, or more “healthy” ingredients to add to a recipe.

The only thing that matters: does the way you are eating make you feel good and is it helping you move towards your goal?

This is why I rarely give people a straight answer when they ask me stuff like “What is the best breakfast?” or “Should I cut carbs?”

It depends. Everyone is different.

If you are generally following the public health guidelines and building meals around the basics I mentioned, you’re probably heading in the right direction.

This week: pick 2 or 3 “default meals” that you like. Repeat them. Make them easy. Then judge your progress off how consistent you were, not how it looked on camera.

Training: The Work You Don’t See

It’s great seeing online coaches share before-and-after photos and I love celebrating people’s wins. But it can also create this quiet lie that if you sign up to coaching, that’s it, motivation carries you the rest of the way.

It doesn’t.

Behind every transformation there is boring, unsexy work: turning up on the days you’re not arsed, doing the basics well and making choices that sometimes feel like a sacrifice.

I’ve seen both sides of it lately. Some people I work with are flying because they’ve built that “show up anyway” muscle. Others have fallen off, not because they’re lazy, but because life got busy and it didn’t go the way they expected.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not here to judge and sometimes there are legitimate reasons for needing to take a backstep on fitness goals. Especially if you’re stressed with work and running on fumes.

But I still think a lot of people convince themselves they want to transform, when really they just want the results without the work. We’re all guilty of it (especially me). We see something online and want it because it looks good, without really conceptualising the work that happens in the background.

For those who genuinely want to change, but work keeps getting in the way, drop your expectations of how it should have gone. Make the plan as easy as possible and roll with the punches.

But also ask yourself: do you really want to transform? Or do you just want the results.

This week: ask yourself how badly you want it, and if you really do, make training easy to win.

• Pick 3 sessions you can realistically commit to.

• Put them in your calendar with a day + time.

• Decide your minimum session or backup plan for busy days (30 minutes, a short run, or a simple full-body circuit).

Reflection Questions:

• What’s one area where imposter syndrome is pushing you to play small?

• Where have you been comparing your “chapter 2” to someone else’s “chapter 20”, what would it look like to run your own race?

• What are 2 or 3 “boring” defaults (meals or habits) you can repeat this week to make consistency easier?

• How can you make training easier to win this week and what’s your backup plan?

What I’m Working On

My main focus lately has been coaching and just getting reps in. How do you gain experience? You make mistakes, you learn and you go again.

Looking back at the people I mentioned who fell off: I wouldn’t coach them the same way now. No blame, just lessons. I learned a lot from it.

The door isn’t closed with any of them either. The timing just wasn’t right.

The frustrating bit is that it’s not always about motivation or “wanting it enough”. It’s just life. In a busy city like Dublin, everything is go-go-go and money is constantly the loudest voice in the room.

Bills. Rent. Targets. Deadlines. People trying to keep their head above water. Health and fitness ends up as the thing that gets squeezed in if there’s time left.

To be clear, I’m not shaming that. Being financially sound is a massive contributor to health and pretending otherwise is clueless.

I don’t agree with the city culture. Taking time to work out is seen as unproductive, caring for yourself is a luxury, and your worth is constantly measured by how much you produce. It’s crazy, but it’s the world we live in.

I’m working on coaching that fits life in Dublin for people with busy jobs. Less perfection. More consistency. More “what can we realistically do this week?”.

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Personal Note:

Coming back from holidays, it was hard to get back into routine, but it felt easier this week. I’m not sure if I’ve just aged or what, but I’ve been feeling like I’m not recovering from workouts the way I used to.

My achilles has been feeling good lately, injuries tend to heal faster when you slow down. Who would’ve thought!?

Off to Westport this weekend for the 10k. Might have to run back if there’s no fuel 😅.

See you next week.

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Taghazout was savage. A full week of doing nothing and feeling more like myself.

Taking a full week out of my usual routine made me realise I’ve been living in a way that isn’t my truth.

I’d planned on staying consistent with the newsletter and squeezing one in last week. But after a few days of lying on the beach and properly switching off, I realised I needed to practice what I’ve been preaching.

If you’ve been stuck in “I’ll chill when I’ve earned it” mode, this week’s for you.

Training: The most underrated conditioning tool is… playing

I went to the beach every day in Taghazout and it was gas watching how many people were just playing — kicking a ball back and forth, five-a-sides starting out of nowhere, volleyball rallies that went on for ages.

We underrate that kind of training because it doesn’t feel like training. You’re not staring at a clock. No one’s tracking splits. You’re just messing.

But when you zoom out and look at what your body is actually doing, it’s proper “athletic” work:

• Agility + change of direction: decelerating, cutting, accelerating again

• Proprioception: your body constantly adjusting based on uneven sand, slips and weird foot positions

• Balance + stability: especially through the ankle, knee and hip when you land, pivot, or reach

• Reactive power: quick little jumps, hops, and bursts (basically plyometrics, without calling it that)

• Hand-eye and foot-eye coordination: tracking the ball, timing contact, controlling it under fatigue

• Speed + repeat sprint ability: short sharp efforts, with incomplete rest (a sneaky form of conditioning)

• Cognitive load: scanning, reacting, decision-making and staying switched on

It’s high output without the grind.

Regardless of your goal — fat loss, Hyrox, marathon, whatever — most people are so locked into “I must do the plan” they (by “they,” I mean myself too) forget the plan is just a tool to get you fitter.

Sometimes the best thing you can do is pick something that gets you moving while you’re actually enjoying it.

A simple way to use this:

• Swap one session for 30–45 minutes of play. A kick-about. Basketball. Tennis. Tag rugby. Volleyball. Anything.

• Keep it low-pressure and stop while it still feels fun.

It won’t replace your sport specific training forever.

But if training has started to feel like another job, bringing play back into it might be the missing piece.

Lifestyle: Work to Live or Live to Work?

It’s scary how easily work becomes the main character.

A “quick” task turns into an extra two hours. You tell yourself you’ll just get it finished. The gym can wait. Dinner can be rushed. Tomorrow’s session can be doubled up. Rest can happen later.

Without ever deciding it, you’ve put your job first and yourself second.

That’s not a productivity problem. It’s a priority problem.

Most of us don’t consciously choose to live that way. It just happens in the margins. One late finish here. One skipped workout there. A few weeks of “just until this project is done.” Then months. Then you can’t remember the last time you did something for you without feeling guilty.

So here’s the question I keep coming back to:

Do you work to live or live to work?

A simple way to check (be honest):

• When you run out of time, what gets cut first: training, sleep, proper meals, time outside, relationships?

• How often do you “stay on” after work, even when no one asked you to?

• Are you building a career, or are you slowly trading your health for a sense of being on top of things?

If you want a practical reset, try this:

1. Pick one non-negotiable that happens before you give work extra time. A workout. A walk. Dinner with no laptop nearby.

2. Choose a hard stop once this week. Leave a task unfinished on purpose. Let “good enough” be enough.

3. Notice the discomfort. The urge to prove yourself, the guilt, the fear of falling behind.

Mindset: Don't judge a book by its cover

The best food I had away came from spots that looked like non-runners. Little food stalls and restaurants that were basically shacks. From the outside you’d nearly keep walking.

Then you eat it and it’s unreal.

That’s the lesson: quality doesn’t always look “premium” at first glance.

We’re in the Instagram-post era where everyone flocks to the places that look class. Neon signs. Perfect plates. Vibes. Then the food shows up and it’s pure shite.

I’m not saying aesthetics don’t matter. They do. But they’re not the thing.

Real markers of a great spot are usually boring:

• The basics done properly

• Consistency

• A few high-quality ingredients

• Quick, sound service

• You leave feeling better than when you came in

Same idea with health and fitness.

People chase gyms and coaches with loads of followers, sexy pictures and a mad-looking program name. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes they’re brilliant.

But a lot of the time it’s just good lighting and good marketing.

If you’re trying to pick what actually works, look for the “boring” signals:

• A plan you can stick to for months, not a week

• Simple progressions, not complicated workouts for the sake of it

• Someone who can explain things clearly and adjust when life happens

• Results that aren’t just before-and-after pics from a cut

• A vibe that makes you want to come back

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Reflection Questions:

• What sport or activity did you love as a kid that you’ve quietly stopped doing?

• Instead of another gym session, could you schedule a kickabout with friends, or better yet, with your kids?

• Be honest: looking back on this past week, do you work to live or live to work?

• Are you basing your training and nutrition choices on appearances?

What I’m Working On

Switching off last week really made me realise how far from my truth I’ve ended up.

I had this grand plan of working my arse off getting this coaching thing up and running so that by the time the summer came around, I’d be able to take my foot off the gas and enjoy it.

I brought the intensity, and to be fair it did get results — I’ve now got 6 people I’m working with and helping with various goals — but it wasn’t sustainable or healthy and I’m disappointed I let it get in the way of how I actually want to live.

So I’m trying to pull it back to basics again this month:

• More rest without guilt.

• More time outside and with my friends.

• Keep the work moving, but stop treating it like life or death.

Not a big dramatic overhaul. Just a small shift back towards what I actually care about.

If you’re in the same boat, consider this your reminder too: it’s allowed to want a good career and a good life at the same time.

The road to recovery with tendonitis is rarely straightforward, but thankfully I think I’m nearly fully healed.

I’m back running, but intentionally setting no targets and judging my pace by how I feel. It seems to be working.

Westport 10k next weekend and if all goes well, I’ll be able to give the Dublin City half a good go in a few weeks.

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