WHY YOU KNOW SO MUCH BUT AREN’T CONSISTENT WITH DOING
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FREE Ebook ||| Why Knowing Isn't Enough 〰️
Subtitle: Why Health Interventions Fail at Different Stages: A Behavioral Perspective
Series: From Knowledge to Action
Introduction
Has your healthcare provider ever asked you to make some lifestyle changes, like losing weight or quitting smoking? You might have felt angry, indifferent or excited to try. Despite knowing what to do, you probably never started, or stopped midway, and wondered why that happened. Here’s the thing. We often think that once we get the diet plan, change must follow. But the reality is not as straightforward as it seems. Because executing behavior change isn’t a wish; it is a house you build brick by brick. If you try to put a roof on it before the foundation dries, the whole thing will collapse after the first rain.
So the real question is where do people tend to fail and why?
If this is hitting a little too close, I’d love to send you my Free book on Turning health knowledge into action:
Where could you be failing to execute behavior change?
Phase 1: Understanding the intervention
This is the first point of breakdown, like the blueprint of a house. You cannot make any lifestyle change without understanding why you need to. So, at what point do people fail to understand? This may happen at two levels: how information is delivered and where it was obtained, or your ability to process it. Let’s unpack. Imagine you were just diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes and your provider lists all the lifestyle changes you need to do. While you are in shock, questions race through your mind making it hard to focus.
In another scenario, maybe your provider might have failed to explain in a way that made sense to you. Sounds familiar? Even if there was no shock and the explanation was clear, you may still struggle to grasp the concept. That’s because it is not that simple. Our thinking capacity, how we feel, and our environment can affect our ability to understand health information. What does this mean for you? This sets the stage for phase 2.
Phase 2: Translating into personal context
Now the blueprint is drawn, you must build the foundation. This is where a lot of beginners struggle. You may have the diet plan in hand, but how do you own these changes you need to make? Personalizing health information can be very difficult since it requires a lot of trial and error to find balance. You may even need professional help.
However, professionals do not know your daily routine more than you do. So why does this matter?. This phase builds and strengthens your foundation. You’ll be tempted, challenged and even find it difficult to adapt. Without a solid plan, you could fail at this level. On the surface, you might think you got the diet plan so you're clear to start, but what’s the use of a plan if you can’t apply it to your life? Then again, the goal isn’t perfection: you must start at where you are, without rushing. Would you build your dream house in the sand, with no real foundation? This is where it gets more complicated.
Phase 3: Activating change and Navigating emotional detours
Let me paint you a picture. It’s New Year’s Eve, you made a resolution to lose weight. You have done thorough research, built a plan and you’ve been consistent for a couple of months. All of a sudden, you see a TikTok video. The influencer says everyone must lose 2-3pounds a week. Self doubts set in, you can’t appreciate your progress, now you want fast results.
In another case, you started your journey well, but life happened. You had a baby, your job got in the way, you got sick, you couldn’t keep up financially. You feel stressed and overwhelmed. Slowly, your weight loss journey starts to unravel, and eventually you give up. Has this happened to you before? Even with a foundation, a house needs structural integrity to withstand a storm.
So, a person can be well informed, have a plan and still fail. This is where many people find themselves restarting over and over. At this point, most people assume its just a lack of motivation. But in reality, it is how easily our feelings can take control and derail our progress. Regardless, is a temporary setback a failure?
Phase 4: Sustaining Execution and feedback
Finally you have added the supportive walls and roof to your house. Ultimately, the goal is to stop building and start living, right? Although it never happens, it is still possible. But it requires that you work on yourself internally and externally. This looks like: You understand what you’re doing, You've made it practical for your lifestyle and set boundaries to limit distractions. That’s when you'll begin to see the changes as part of who you are, your identity. At this stage, you’re no longer chasing trends. You know what works for you, stick with it and curate an environment that supports your goals. But this doesn’t happen overnight, there’s years of trial and error.
Is it worth it? Absolutely, because you have finally achieved long term success. Imagine moving into your dream house after years of working hard and waiting. You could argue that it was just discipline, but I don't agree. Think of it like building a house: Understanding is the blueprint, Personalization is the foundation, Emotional regulation is the structural integrity, Sustainability is the supportive walls and Discipline? That’s just the tool, not the structure itself.
Final insight
So what often feels like inconsistency, it just a failure in the process to execute. Viewing Execution in behavior change as a process requiring multiple steps helps you understand why you are informed but unable to sustain results. Are you simply unmotivated and lack discipline? Probably not.
Take this in; Understanding creates direction; Translation creates structure; Activation & Regulation enables execution, then Sustained Action, guided by feedback, creates consistency and adherence. This is how the system works.
So discipline might help you start, but long-term success comes when all of these work together, and your behavior becomes part of who you are.We must aim to know what we are doing and how to do it consistently.
Also, know that Execution isn't linear, some people get to stage 3, and restart at stage 1. Don’t mistaken this for failure, I want you to be able to see it as a house renovation, instead of a demolition.
So rather than asking whether you are indisciplined or not, you should identify which phase the process is failing and why.
The next article would explore the factors that affect your ability to execute.
Reflection
Your 5-Minute Renovation
As you wait for the next article, take one micro-action based on where you are stuck:
Phase 1? Write down one question about your health that you still don't fully understand.
Phase 2? Identify one "universal" health rule you’re following that actually makes your life harder, and brainstorm a way to tweak it.
Phase 3? Notice the next time you feel "guilty" about your progress and label it as "Emotional Interference" rather than "Failure."
Phase 4? Pick one habit you have successfully changed and repeat it at least 3times this week.
“I can’t wait for the next release”
If you’ve ever felt like you’re the problem, this will help you see what’s actually happening. I ‘d love to send you the full breakdown of the Framework: Understanding the Knowledge to Action Gap