Why letting go of the "grind" mindset is what actually made me healthier
I used to struggle hard with the concept of “getting healthy.”
That term never sat right with me—like I had to meet some kind of quota, whether in time, suffering, or sacrifice, just to finally feel energized and alive.
I’d look in the mirror and think, “Damn Jack, all those other guys are in great shape because they’re in the gym for three hours. You’re not trying hard enough!.”
Or, “Man, Jack, you’ve been doom scrolling on Instagram for the past hour. You’re ruining your prefrontal cortex. You should be reading more!”
And the one that defined the last few years: “Holy shit, did I just eat a seed oil?”
These thoughts—relentless, rigid, self-critical—only made it harder to actually get healthy.
The idea that I had to jump through endless hoops, skip dinners, and live in the gym just to maybe feel okay?
At that point, I might as well eat a doughnut and die.
But once I let go of all that noise—the pressure we absorb from social media, from the celebrity trainers and the fit influencers drinking raw milk with hardly any clothes on—and just started imperfectly, everything changed.
I began by doing the smallest, most awkward things: working out in regular clothes, reading just one page of a book. Taking one, deep, intentional breath in the morning.
That’s when the muscles started building. The energy came back. The mind became still. And the real transformation began.
This is how you stop postponing your health—and your self—ever again.
1. Pay Yourself First (on prioritizing your health)
This is one of the most profound phrases I’ve ever heard.
Once I learned it, everything changed.
I realized that every dream I’ve actually brought into reality started because I chose to pay myself first.
Every morning, I wake up, go to the bathroom, take out my mouthguard, and step into the shower.
There, I do my little elaborate-yet-simple ritual: flossing, brushing, oil pulling, face wash, a little abdominal massage, colon cleanse (yes, brah), and some tai chi shaking.
After that, I do 10 minutes of yoga or foam rolling outside in the sun, followed by a breathwork session.
Not once did I check my phone.
Not once did I think about everything I need to do
I didn’t let my brain spiral into the 15 problems I’ll need to handle later (and believe me, there are a lot—just like for everyone).
Then, I walk over to my coffee shop a.k.a. my home office. I read for 30 minutes, and then I write for about an hour.
Only then do I check my phone. Open the inbox. Step into the madness.
That’s when I enter the world of finance and private equity and start talking about $20 million losses and $10 million gains.
But by then, I’ve already won the day.
Why?
Because I paid myself first.
I set myself up to be cool, calm, focused, present, and lit up intellectually and spiritually emotionally and physically.
Whatever it is, do it before the noise hits. Start your day with the big stuff—the creative work, the legacy work, the things that actually build your future.
Then go do the emails and chase the $20 million.
Action Plan:
Even if it’s just 10 to 30 minutes a day—pay yourself first.
Don’t leave the house or start work until you’ve done one, or a couple of things for yourself. Here are some examples
5 minutes of Gratitude journaling.
5 minutes of Yoga.
5 minutes of Breathwork.
My elaborate shower routine.
5 minutes of drawing, chanting, praying, whatever floats your boat.
2. Minimum Effective Dose (on acting on your health)
A lot of people never start “getting healthy” because they think they need to go all in.
You might think:
“I need more time so I can finally get serious about the gym.”
“I gotta work a bit more so I can afford all the right supplements, groceries, gear.”
But the truth is—you’d be shocked how much better you can feel with just a little bit of health in your day.
So yeah, pay yourself first.
But if you’ve got a crazy schedule, then cool—just give yourself 5 minutes.
You will be blown away by how different you feel after five minutes of yoga. Or breathwork. Or meditation. Or journaling. Or brain games. It doesn’t have to be a full reset. Just give yourself a taste.
You don’t need to be Bryan Johnson spending three hours biohacking his body every morning—although, hey, respect to that guy.
But you don’t need all that.
Action plan for movement:
If you want to lift weights but the Herculean task of going to the gym feels out of reach, just start small.
Buy a kettlebell. Or a dumbbell. Do one set to failure at home.
That’s what I do.
When I don’t feel like working out, I grab the kettlebell and tell myself, “Just one set. 30 seconds.”
I go balls to the wall on something like a kettlebell squat, and guess what?
I feel amazing. And nine times out of ten, I end up doing more because it feels so damn good.
Same goes for food.
People hear, “Cook everything at home. Eat clean. Get regenerative, grass-fed beef straight from the farm.” And they’re like—bro, I can’t. I get it. I hate that pressure too.
Action plan for food:
So here’s my move: make it stupid simple.
Go to the store. Grab a bunch of fruit. Some organic EVOO pesto.
A few beef jerky sticks. That’s lunch.
It’s wildly healthy and takes zero effort. When I’m in a rush or too tired to cook, I’ve literally eaten a pint of raw dairy ice cream. More on that soon.
But for now—just remember: it doesn’t have to be hard.
Big-ass bowl of fruit. Pesto for those polyphenols and monounsaturated fats. Jerky sticks for bioavailable amino acids. Fiber, hydration, and antioxidants from the fruit.
Minimum effort. Maximum return.
3. Just Step Into Shit First (on learning about health)
The problem with health today is that we think we need to know everything before we start.
Like yeah, there are the basics—protein, carbs, macros.
But then there’s mitochondria, phosphatidylcholine, PM2.5, structured water, red light therapy, hyperbaric oxygen, COX-2 inhibition—what the actual fuck is going on?
For me to even understand 1/100th of this stuff, I had to stop trying to master it all at once.
I just stepped into shit. I’d poke around, listen to five minutes of a podcast, read one page of a book, or write about it for a few minutes—no pressure, no overload.
Just enough to get familiar. And not fry my brain.
Because sometimes, the bullshit is too much. That’s fine.
The trick is just to step into it.
If it’s email overload, group them into a folder titled “Bullshit” and deal with them later. Don’t let it dominate your day.
Oliver Burkeman writes beautifully about this in Meditations for Mortals.
He talks about how we all believe our “future life” is the better one—so we waste the present doing dumb stuff.
But he says: Why not both? Handle the bullshit. But don’t let it eat your life.
Action Plan:
So whether it’s email, movement, or food—just step in.
Take a walk around the gym.
Browse the organic section.
Read one page.
Open a podcast.
That’s how you start building the identity. That’s how it sticks.
Final Word
There you have it.
Three strong ways to stop listening to the haters, and waiting for the perfect time, and start becoming who you want to be!
There are a million more—but the key is this: just step in.
Don’t wait for the perfect moment. It doesn’t exist.
What does exist is now. Right now.
So go buy yourself a fruit bowl. Read one page of a book. Take one deep breath before you check your email.
And for the love of God—filter your water.
You guys are my life. Have a blessed one. 😉💥
—Jack
💌 What’s one small thing you’re going to do today?
And if you know someone who needs a little fire under their ass—send this their way.
I’m grateful to my partners who create amazing health & wellness products.
What is your go too tip for staying motivated on exercising?
Wow! What a powerhouse read. I'm taking action now. Thanks for the awesome information.