Patrick Wasn’t Lazy - He Just Needed a Different Kind of Health Plan
- Chris Deavin
- Nov 13
- 4 min read
Why real change after 50 isn’t about effort, it’s about alignment.
I’ll never forget my first session with Patrick. He walked into my studio carrying what looked like decades of frustration on his shoulders. He was 57, running a successful business, and on paper, doing pretty well. But his health told another story.
He looked tired.
He said he felt “sluggish”, not just physically, but mentally. And the first words out of his mouth were: “Chris, I know exactly what to do… I just can’t seem to do it anymore.”
The Truth Behind “Lack of Motivation”
That line, “I know what to do, but I don’t do it”, is something I hear from almost every client over 50 at the start. It’s not ignorance that holds them back. It’s inconsistency.
Patrick wasn’t lazy. He was drained from years of holding everything else together. His willpower had been spent on his business, his family, and the everyday responsibilities that pile up with time.
When it came to his own health, there was simply nothing left in the tank. The problem wasn’t a lack of effort. The problem was misalignment between who he wanted to be and the systems he was using to get there.
The Old Plan vs The Right Plan
Before we started working together, Patrick’s idea of “getting back in shape” was what it had always been:
Join a gym. Go all in. Cut out carbs. Push harder.
And it worked, for a couple of weeks. Then, just like every other time, he’d crash. He’d feel guilty. He’d tell himself he’d start again on Monday. Sound familiar?
That’s the cycle of high effort, low sustainability.
So we took a different approach. Instead of pushing harder, we built a system that made progress easier. Instead of relying on motivation, we built momentum. And instead of chasing perfection, we focused on identity and design.
That’s where The W.I.S.D.O.M Framework came in.
Building Patrick’s W.I.S.D.O.M Foundation
We started small, much smaller than he expected. Because the goal wasn’t intensity; it was consistency.
Willpower:Patrick agreed to stop relying on it. His new mantra became, “If it requires motivation, it’s too fragile.”
Identity:He stopped thinking like a 30-year-old chasing his old self. We built a new identity, a 57-year-old man building strength for the next 30 years of his life.
Small Wins:He began with 10 minutes of movement each day, not perfection, just progress.
Design Your Environment:He rearranged his kitchen, prepped his meals on Sundays, kept resistance bands near his desk, and set a phone reminder that said, “Future Patrick will thank you.”
Overcoming Obstacles:We planned for the hard days. Not “if they happen,” but “when.” Missing one workout wasn’t failure; not planning the next one was.
Mindset:Every Friday, he wrote down three things he did right that week, no matter how small. It built momentum and self-respect.
What Happened Next
Within six weeks, Patrick’s energy had completely shifted. He was walking taller. Sleeping better. Laughing again. By the three-month mark, he’d lost over 8 kilos, but that wasn’t the real transformation. It was how he saw himself.
One day after a session, he said something that really stayed with me:
“I used to see my health as something I had to fight for. Now it just feels like something I live by.”
That’s not a diet. That’s identity.
What Patrick’s Story Teaches Us
So many people over 50 think they’re the problem, that they lack discipline or motivation. They’re not the problem. They just haven’t been taught to build systems instead of rely on willpower.
When you learn to design your environment, shift your identity, and build small wins into your week,you make healthy living automatic, and that’s when real, lasting change happens.
That’s what it means to live with W.I.S.D.O.M.
Free Resource: The No-Willpower Health Plan for People Over 50
If you’d like to build your own version of Patrick’s system, I’ve created a free guide that will show you exactly how.
Inside, you’ll discover the same daily rhythm, simple strength routines, and environment strategies that helped Patrick rebuild his energy, confidence, and health. Because your future doesn’t need more effort, it needs structure that fits who you are today.
Ready to Go Deeper?
If Patrick’s story sounds familiar, if you’ve been starting and stopping for years and wondering why nothing sticks, the answer isn’t more willpower. It’s better systems, designed for real life over 50.
That’s exactly what I teach inside The W.I.S.D.O.M Program, my 12-week coaching process for men and women who want to finally feel strong, consistent, and proud of their routines again.
Or simply start by downloading the free guide above.
Because resilience isn’t built by pushing harder, it’s built by designing a life that supports the person you’re becoming.
Chris Deavin, Owner of myHealthCoach & creator of the W.I.S.D.O.M program.
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