"You're Not Lazy, You're Distracted (Here's How to Fix It)"

Season 2-Episode 3

Hey FunLifers,

I’ve been sitting on this episode for a while because it hits deep for me personally.

In ancient Rome, the emperors had a strategy to keep people calm and distracted:

“Bread and circuses.”

Bread to keep everyone fed.

Circuses — gladiator games, theater, entertainment — to keep everyone distracted from what was really going on.

We don’t live in Rome anymore…

But our version of bread & circuses is alive and well:

· Social media and scrolling

· News cycles and political drama

· Sports, fantasy leagues, constant entertainment

· Alcohol, partying, “just one more episode” nights

None of these things are evil by themselves. I like watching the Niners. I like a good show with my wife. I use social media for work and personal.

The problem is when they stop being tools or sources of joy, and start becoming numbing agents — ways to avoid pain, avoid growth, and avoid presence.

And that’s what this newsletter is about.

The #1 Thing Holding Most People Back

In the gyms, with our team, and in my own life, I’ve realized something:

Most people aren’t failing because of a lack of goals or knowledge.They’re failing because they’re distracted.

You might even relate to this:

· You set a goal.

· You get some momentum.

· You get close to the result… or maybe even hit it.

· And then something in your brain says, “Cool, we’re done,”

and your foot quietly comes off the gas.

This is where I see so many people fall off:

· Clients who finally start seeing progress with their body

· Coaches who finally fill their schedule and start making good money

· People who finally hit a milestone in their career or relationship

They reach a threshold of success — and that success becomes a curse disguised as a blessing.

They think, “I can coast now.”

And into that opening walks distraction.

The Three Timelines You Need to Know

When I’m talking to clients or coaches, I always come back to this simple framework:

A → B → C

1.    A = History / Current State

Where are you right now?

• What’s worked for you in the past?

• What hasn’t worked?

• Why do you think you’re not where you want to be?

  
  

2.    B = Goals / Targets

Where do you want to be?

• In your body and health

• In your career and income

• In your relationship and family life

3.    C = The Process

How are we actually going to bridge the gap from A to B?

Most people obsess over B (the goal) and ignore C (the work).

Here’s the twist that changed my life:

Sometimes the goal itself becomes a distraction.

If all you do is stare at what you don’t have yet — the body, the income, the house, the car — you’re by definition no longer present.

And if you’re not present, you can’t fully engage in the only thing that actually changes your life:

The work in front of you today.

Diversification Is Quietly Killing Your Progress

There’s a quote that floats around:

“The average millionaire has seven streams of income.”

What people forget is this:

They didn’t get rich by starting seven things at once.

They went all-in on one thing long enough for it to matter.

In fitness, this looks like:

· Pilates once a week

· A random strength workout here and there

· Pickleball on Saturdays

· Stretching when you “have time”

It feels like “I’m doing a lot.”

But the reality? There’s no focused, progressive effort in one direction.

In careers, it looks like:

· 2–3 side jobs

· Day trading on the side

· 4 fantasy leagues

· Saying yes to everything

It feels busy.

But busy is not the same as productive.

Productivity is focused effort aligned with a clear processBusyness is distraction dressed up as importance.

A Quick “Distraction Audit”

Take a second and be brutally honest with yourself.

Where are your bread and circuses?

· How much time do you spend on your phone per day?

· How often do you scroll when you feel stressed, bored, or uncomfortable?

· Are you watching more content than you’re creating or progressing?

· Are you numbing with alcohol, food, or “just one drink with friends” that always turns into three?

· Do you use politics, media, or sports to fill the gap instead of facing the hard conversations in your life?

None of this is about shame.

It’s about ownership.

If something is pulling you away from:

· Being present with your partner or kids

· Doing deep, meaningful work

· Taking care of your health and energy

…then it’s not just “entertainment” anymore.

It’s a distraction from your potential.

The Work Is the Goal

Over the last few years, I’ve shifted how I think about goals.

Instead of:

“I need to hit X income, drive X car, own X properties.”

I’ve been asking:

“What if the goal is simply to be fully present in the work?”

For me, that looks like:

· Being a great husband

· Being a future great father

· Being a good leader for my team

· Being a good friend

· Being a good human

If the only goal is to show up fully for the process —

to be productive, present, and aligned with my values —

then everything else (money, business growth, body composition) becomes a byproduct.

Same thing with fitness:

You don’t build 10 lbs of muscle by staring at the mirror and visualizing bigger arms.

You build it by:

· Showing up to your training consistently

· Progressively overloading your lifts

· Eating enough protein and calories

· Sleeping and recovering well

The muscle is the byproduct.

The work is the goal.

Why Productivity Helps You Sleep Better

People talk a lot about:

· Blue light blockers

· Caffeine cut-off times

· Sleep hygiene hacks

All helpful. But there’s something deeper:

I sleep best on the days I’m truly productive —when I know I used my time well, at work and at home.

Productive doesn’t mean “I worked 14 hours.”

It means:

· I was present with my wife, not half on my phone.

· I pushed something important forward in the business.

· I took care of my body.

· I wasn’t just numbing, scrolling, or avoiding.

That feeling of “I did what I was supposed to do today” is one of the most underrated stress reducers I know.

Your Challenge This Week

I want to leave you with something practical:

1.    Pick ONE area to focus on for the next 30 days.

• Your training

• Your nutrition

• Your sleep

• Your work output

  
  

Don’t diversify. Commit.

2.    Identify your top 2–3 distractions in that area.

Be honest. Is it your phone? Late nights? Alcohol? TV?

3.    Create one boundary for each distraction.

• Phone in another room after 8 p.m.

• No alcohol Sunday–Thursday

• 1 TV episode max on weeknights

• No social media before your first “deep work” block

4.    Redefine your “win” for the day.

Your win is not “I hit my final goal.”

Your win is: I showed up for the process today.

Final Thought

There are always going to be “bread and circuses” —

media, politics, entertainment, algorithms fighting for your attention.

You can’t control that.

But you can control this:

· What you focus on

· How present you are

· How honest you are about what’s distracting you

· How committed you are to the work itself

Because at the end of the day:

If the work is the goal, you never really lose.You’re either learning, growing, or refining the process.

Appreciate you for reading.

If this hit home for you, hit reply and tell me:

 What’s one distraction you’re ready to put boundaries around this week?

P.S. If you want to go deeper on this, listen to Episode 19 of 'Pursuit of Balance'— we unpack all of this in long form on YouTube & Spotify→ https://open.spotify.com/episode/1tbFwiT49A4ZpRwc0xigj3?si=6e11c4b1a7b24312