We live in an era of infinite shortcuts. If you scroll through social media for five minutes, you will be promised a hack for wealth, a shortcut to six-pack abs, and a secret to instant happiness.
But here is the truth we discuss often at Brooktree: There are no discounts on the price of your health.
Recent conversations with thought leaders like Sahil Bloom and Mark Manson have highlighted a universal truth that applies just as much to your bloodwork as it does to your bank account: Sacrifice is the cost of entry
The Illusion of "Later"
I frequently meet new clients who are successful, intelligent, and driven. They sign up for coaching because they want the "Best Shape of Their Life." Yet, when the initial excitement fades and the reality of lifestyle integration sets in, I hear the same refrain:
"I can't right now." "I’m too stressed at work." "I’ll focus on this when the kids move out, or when I retire."
Here is the hard reality: The same people who claim they don’t have time to meal prep or get a workout in are often the same people finding time to organize community events, chair committees, or hop on hour-long video calls with friends.
It is not a lack of time; it is a lack of priority. And waiting until retirement to prioritize your health is a dangerous gamble. You are betting that your body will wait for you. But biology doesn't pause for your schedule.
Choose Your "Hard"
Mark Manson famously said that everything in life is hard.
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Getting into shape is hard.
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Being out of shape is hard.
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Disciplining your nutrition is hard.
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Managing chronic disease is hard.
We tend to choose the "easy" path in the short term—skipping the gym, eating the processed food, ignoring the sleep schedule. But as Sahil Bloom points out, we sacrifice long-term freedom for that short-term comfort.
If you aren't willing to sacrifice the short-term pleasure of comfort, you will eventually be forced to sacrifice your long-term healthspan.
The Data Doesn't Care About Your Feelings
This avoidance behavior shows up most critically in how we handle data. In our practice, we use data to engineer results. Yet, I see clients avoiding the scale because they don't want to see the number. They refuse a DEXA scan because they don't want to see their body composition. They hesitate to get comprehensive bloodwork because they fear what the inflammatory markers might say.
This is the "Ostrich Method"—burying your head in the sand.
But here is the catch: Refusing to look at the data does not stop the physiology from happening.
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Your visceral fat is active whether you scan it or not.
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Your insulin resistance is progressing whether you test your glucose or not.
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Your muscle mass is atrophying whether you step on the scale or not.
Mel Robbins put it bluntly: The formula for what you want exists. If you want to build wealth, there is a path. If you want to optimize your longevity, the path is clear: Sleep, nutrition, resistance training, and stress management.
The problem isn't that the formula is broken. The problem is that the formula requires you to do things you don't feel like doing.
A Coach is a Guide, Not a Magician
Hiring a coach is not a status symbol. It is not a box you check so you can tell your friends, "I have a longevity guy."
We can provide the "Stack," the training blocks, and the nutritional strategy. We can analyze the trends and optimize the lifestyle. But we cannot generate the will to execute.You have a choice. You can suffer the pain of discipline today—the cold shower, the heavy lifting, the early bedtime—or you can suffer the pain of regret later.
Discipline weighs ounces. Regret weighs tons.
The Next Step
If you are ready to stop hoping for results and start engineering them, we are ready to guide you. But come prepared to look at the data, do the work, and prioritize your future self over your current comfort.
Ready to integrate this lifestyle for real? Let’s look at your data and build a plan that lasts.
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