IF YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO, WHY ISN'T IT WORKING?
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||| Why Knowing Isn't Enough
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FREE Ebook ||| Why Knowing Isn't Enough 〰️
Subtitle: Examining factors that influence Execution
Series: From Knowledge to Action
Introduction
Do you remember we discussed previously that executing behavior change is a multi-step process? How about the things that could influence Execution? READ MORE…..
A quick recap. We’ve learned that rather than viewing execution as a matter of a single choice, it may be more important to consider it in multiple phases. These include understanding the lifestyle changes, translating the recommendations into daily routine, activating and regulating emotions over time, and sustaining it long-term. But these phases can be affected by some factors which we may or may not have control over. Let’s delve deeper.
If this is hitting a little too close, I’d love to send you my Free book on Turning health knowledge into action:
How you think (Cognitive Factors)
How you think greatly affects what you do, when and how you do it. Think of cognition as the ignition of your car. Your car won’t start without it. Everything you do, starts from the mind. Do you have control over it? Yes you do. Only you can determine when to start your car or shut it off. Your approach to execution depends on your thinking capacity. Successful behavior change requires that you’re able to understand the problem, interpret the solution provided and have the ability to sustain it. Does this remind you of the execution pathway we discussed earlier? This phase needs good planning, resilience, willpower and mental strength. All of these rely on your cognitive abilities.
So why does this matter? Health information is usually generic. Your level of understanding would determine how fast you are able to start. It also reveals how long you’re willing to stay consistent. The decision to change and sustain it starts from here. Your cognitive ability can influence decisions such as food choices, setting goals, planning, controlling impulses, learning from your mistakes, remembering health information, adapting to changes, and staying focused. Keep in mind that this is just a part of the picture…
How you feel (Emotional Factors)
Imagine your feelings are like driving your car. You actively control movement like speed (acceleration), slowing down (braking) and adjusting (steering). If any one of these systems fails, execution breaks down, regardless of how motivated or informed you are.
Now think of your energy like fuel. When you have enough gas, you can switch to sports mode, blast the air conditioning, and enjoy the ride. But when you’re running low, everything changes because steering, braking and pacing become harder to manage. You start conserving energy, trying to make it to your destination, and sometimes, you don’t. This is where the confusion starts. Most people are already starting their health journey with low fuel. Yet, they’re still running things that drain it even faster. Logically, you would slow down and plan to refuel before continuing the journey. That’s how you actually reach your destination. But in reality, it’s not that simple. Letting go of comfort isn’t easy. Will you be willing to turn off your AC if you’re low on gas?
On top of that, you look over and see someone else speeding ahead, seemingly with no limits. You try to keep up, even though you’re already running low. And before you know it, you miss the exit where you could have refueled. These are the kinds of distractions that interfere with execution at this level. So, where do we go from here? In executing new behaviors, this can show up as competing priorities, unnecessary comparisons, self-doubt, anxiety, fear of failure, and a pull toward immediate rewards over long-term goals.
The things around you (Environmental Factors)
Visualize this constraint as the road and traffic conditions because here, you navigate real-world conditions. The things around you can affect your ability to turn knowledge into action in ways that would surprise you. You’d probably relate to this. Sometimes I open my refrigerator to get an apple, but I end up having sugar cookies. I’d tell myself that it’s just one piece. A few moments later, I would have finished the whole box. If I’m trying to reduce my sugar intake, why would I have a box of sugar cookies around me? On paper, I could have had just a piece or none at all. But in reality, most people don’t have that kind of self control. That’s why we have to consciously create an environment that supports our health goals.
Another thing is access to resources. Some people may not be able to afford healthy food or gym membership. Others may have the money but in a time crunch. For you, it may be distance or convenience, and another, it may be cultural relevance. When these things happen, you may be unwilling to start your health journey.
Also, one of the least talked about environmental barriers is societal expectations. You’ll see this in beauty standards and perceptions. You might be aware of how some cultures promote thinness, whereas others may do the opposite. In some parts of the world, some women avoid weightlifting because they don’t want to look manly, despite the benefits. You’d be shocked to learn that some people resist weight loss because they don’t want to look ill. All these barriers make our support system weak but this is where it gets more complicated……
Your body system (Metabolic factors)
For me, this is the most important barrier, yet the most overlooked. Let me tell you why. Think of your metabolic state as the engine of your car. Without it, your car isn’t moving an inch. Your car may start without a key/ignition point, even with low gas. But, it won’t work with no engine. The engine determines your overall capacity, while fuel determines how much capacity you can actually use at the moment. However, you can have a good engine (metabolic state), but if fuel is low (fatigue, under-recovery, caloric deficit, stress), your ability to regulate (emotional control) and act still declines. Then again, even if you know where you’re going and how to drive, your ability to stay in control depends on your energy. This means that your metabolic state can affect almost all the phases of execution. So while cognition, emotional and environmental barriers affect behavior change directly, metabolic state pulls the strings behind the scenes. A poor metabolic state would affect energy levels, anxiety, uncontrollable impulses and poor decision making. So two people with the same amount of information and resources would still have different results.
It is important to note that, while these factors affect execution at all phases, each phase has a dominant one. For instance, cognitive factors may be extremely important for Phase 1, whereas metabolic factors would be dominant in Phase 3.
Final insight
In a nutshell, the Execution pathway in behavior change can be understood like building a house and each phase depends on the previous one. But within each phase, execution is driven by multiple systems working together like a car.
These systems: cognitive, emotional, environmental and metabolic factors determine whether execution actually occurs or breaks down. They determine whether your body has the capacity to carry out the behavior change you desire. So execution and adherence aren’t as easy as your coach makes it seem.
I hope now you have a fair idea of why you haven’t been staying consistent on your health journey so you can stop feeling guilty and act on it. Take this assurance. You’re reading this article now because you want to do better. This means you’re already addressing some of the issues.
Which of these factors do you think is dominant in phase one of execution? We will explore that in our next article.
Reflection
Which of these constraint makes it hardest to follow through for you?
Cognitive: Confusion or overthinking? Simplify and reduce decisions
Emotional: Stress, overwhelm or mood swings? Reduce pressure and increase flexibility
Environmental: Schedule, access, or routine? Adjust environment and remove barriers
Metabolic: Fatigue: hunger, or low energy? Reduce demand and support energy first.
“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