“Oh, screw you, Apple Watch,” I muttered to myself after this morning’s workout.
It’s the final week of a training plan I’ve been following consistently for months.
I had just spent the last hour banging out rows, push ups, and lunges, pushing each set close to muscular failure and setting new personal bests.
My heart rate got as high as 160 beats per minute.
Yet my Apple Watch had the nerve to say, “Hey, that’s a good start for moving today.”
Do you own a WHOOP, an Apple Watch, or similar technology that tracks your health and fitness?
I do. And I know a lot of people who do, both in Google and across tech and other industries.
Like me, they’re ambitious, health-conscious, and analytical.
They care about their health and want to be informed about what’s happening with their bodies. That’s great! I think wearables have a lot of potential to help.
But while technology can be valuable, there’s a hidden “danger” to your health and wellbeing in them:
Outcomes.
Lemme explain…
Have you ever been stressed out after not hitting your daily step count, missing your calorie goal, or clocking a sub-optimal “sleep score?”
I have. Hell, I know people who basically organize their lives around this data.
But here’s the thing… Outcomes aren’t guaranteed and can leave you feeling demotivated if you don’t achieve them.
There’s no better way to ensure you DON’T make progress than giving up just because you didn’t stand up enough today.
Instead, do what I do with my coaching clients – people from around the world who have lost fat, gained muscle, and built healthy lifestyle habits:
Focus on BEHAVIORS instead of outcomes.
- Instead of hitting a fixed step count, focus on taking a walk each day
- Instead of optimizing your micronutients, focus on eating 5 servings of fruits and veggies each day
- Instead of trying to achieve a certain sleep score and time spent in REM sleep, focus on practicing a sleep ritual that helps you wind down and fall asleep easily each day
Notice that behaviors are typically IN your control. Outcomes aren’t.
But your behaviors make it much MORE likely you’ll hit those outcomes.
They’re also healthy, sustainable ways to improve and maintain your health for life – not a metric that might get phased out in the next software update.
So, if you’ve been focusing on outcomes and feeling stressed about your health lately, maybe it’s time to leave the Apple Watch at home for your next workout.
Don’t let outcomes dictate your behaviors and feelings.
Focus on doing your best, whatever that looks like, as consistently as you can.
I promise your health will thank you for it.
Love you lots. Have a great week.
❤️ Ian
Ian Estabrook 