The Trigger to Focus: How To Build Your Health Without Willpower

Hi everyone, and welcome to this week’s blog post. I’m Chris Deavin, and every week we explore strategies, stories, and tools to help you build strength, resilience, and lasting health.

Today, I want to talk to you about something that might just change the way you think about motivation: triggers.

Now, one of the most common things I hear from people I coach is this:

“I know what I should be doing, I just can’t seem to get myself to do it consistently.”

And maybe you’ve said that to yourself, too.

It’s not that you don’t care. It’s not even that you don’t have the discipline. Often, it comes down to something far simpler: you haven’t set up the right triggers.

What Are Triggers?

A trigger is like a shortcut for your brain. It’s the signal that flips the switch from thinking about doing something to actually doing it.

We all have them.

Think about this for a moment:

• A negative trigger might be the irritation of a telemarketer’s call or that sinking feeling when you see a certain email in your inbox.

• A positive trigger could be the instant boost of happiness when you see a dog wagging its tail, or when the sun breaks through the clouds.

These things instantly shift how we feel, and without us consciously thinking about it.

And here’s the important part: you can create triggers that support your health and resilience, rather than being at the mercy of the ones that pull you off track.

How Athletes Use Triggers

Athletes are masters of this.

They don’t just step onto the field or into the gym and hope they’re “in the zone.” They use very specific cues, triggers, to bring their focus, their energy, and even their emotions into the right place.

You can do exactly the same thing in your everyday life.

Think of building your own trigger toolbox. Inside it, you might have:

• Words or phrases you say to yourself to lock in focus.

• Images of times when you felt strong, confident, and proud.

• Songs that light you up and get you moving.

• Videos—maybe a motivational montage or a personal transformation story—that reminds you of what’s possible.

• And rituals—small, repeatable actions that prepare your mind and body for what’s coming next.

A Client Story

Let me give you a real-life example from my coaching.

I worked with a client, Sarah, who struggled with exercising after long days at work. By the time she got home, she was exhausted. The sofa looked a lot more appealing than her running shoes.

So, we built her a trigger.

As soon as she walked through the door, she hit play on one particular song, her “power track.” At the same time, she changed straight into her workout clothes.

That was it. Just those two things. Music plus clothes.

It didn’t seem like much, but here’s what happened: within minutes, her energy shifted. The workout stopped being this huge decision she had to make, and started to feel automatic.

And a few months later, she told me, “Even when I don’t feel like it, as soon as I hear that song, my body just moves. It’s like I don’t give myself the option not to.”

That’s the power of a trigger. It became her bridge between intention and action.

Why Rituals Matter

Triggers and rituals work because they signal to your brain: this is what comes next.

For example:

• A pre-activity ritual might be putting on your workout clothes or pressing play on a playlist that raises your energy.

• A letting-go ritual might be taking three deep breaths to release the stress of the day before you begin.

The ritual itself doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, the simpler, the better. What matters is that it clears the clutter in your head and primes you for the thing you actually want to do.

Building Your Toolbox

So here’s your coaching challenge for today.

1. Start noticing your natural triggers. What things make you feel energised? What things drain you?

2. Begin experimenting. Try a new song before your next workout. Place a photo somewhere you’ll see it before making a food choice. Watch a motivational video before you head to the gym.

3. Refine it over time. Keep what works, and let go of what doesn’t.

Before you know it, you’ll have your own personalised trigger toolbox, a set of shortcuts that guide you into the right mindset, without having to rely on willpower alone.

Final Thought

Remember, triggers are personal. Yours might look different to mine, and that’s the point.

What matters is that they work for you.

So, let me ask you this: what’s the first trigger you’re going to put in your toolbox today?

Thanks for taking the time to read this week’s post. If you found it useful, share it with someone who might benefit, and I’d love to hear your triggers. Drop a comment or message me with what’s worked for you.

And if you’d like help building your own trigger toolbox and a health plan that actually sticks, that’s exactly what I do with my coaching clients. You can connect with me at myhealthcoach.online.

Until next time, keep building your resilience, one small step, one trigger, at a time.

Chris Deavin

Certified Behavioural & Accountability Health Coach