What if the reason your goals keep stalling has nothing to do with discipline, willpower, or the plan you chose—and everything to do with why you’re doing it?
In a recent episode of the AFS Health & Care Podcast, we sat down with executive coach and former clinical pharmacist Laurie Greenberg to explore how genuine motivation, honest self-reflection, and simple design choices turn stuck energy into steady progress.
Laurie spent more than twenty years helping patients manage medications. Today, she helps leaders and everyday people manage something just as influential: the stories, habits, and environments shaping their lives. Listen to our full conversation below
“Should” Goals Don’t Stick—We See It All the Time
Many people arrive with goals rooted in shoulds:
“I should work out more.”
“I should lose weight.”
“I should be more disciplined.”
Laurie explains why these goals often collapse under pressure. When motivation is external—or borrowed from someone else—resistance shows up quickly.
This is why, at AFS, we spend so much time upfront clarifying why a member wants change. When goals are connected to feeling strong again, staying independent, managing pain, or showing up fully for family, consistency becomes more natural. The work feels purposeful instead of forced.
Real Progress Is Designed for Real Life
One of the strongest alignments between Lori’s work and ours is how we approach planning.
Health plans fail when they’re built for ideal weeks instead of real ones. Laurie emphasizes anticipating obstacles before they happen—busy schedules, stress, travel, low-energy days—and creating flexible backup plans.
This mirrors how our coaches work with members. We don’t expect perfection. We expect variability. Missed sessions aren’t failures; they’re feedback. Adjustments are treated as experiments, not verdicts on your character.
That mindset keeps people moving forward instead of starting over.
Identity Shapes Outcomes More Than Willpower
Laurie dives into something we see derail health journeys quietly but consistently: identity labels.
“I’ve never been consistent.”
“I always fall off.”
“I’m just not a routine person.”
These stories shape behavior long before motivation gets a vote.
Rather than pushing unrealistic positive thinking, Laurie talks about developing believable “upgrade thoughts”—small shifts in how someone sees themselves that open the door to new actions. This is core to health coaching. When identity evolves, behavior follows. Strength, confidence, and consistency aren’t just outcomes—they’re expressions of who someone is becoming.
Support Without Dependency—Why Coaching Matters
Another powerful theme is the role of support.
Coaching isn’t about being told what to do. It’s about having a structured, psychologically safe space to uncover what’s actually getting in the way—perfectionism, people-pleasing, time myths, fear of disappointing others.
This is why we emphasize coaching alongside exercise. When people feel safe enough to be honest, solutions finally match the real problem. That’s when health change becomes sustainable instead of exhausting.
Small Daily Anchors Create Long-Term Change
Laurie shared a simple ritual that aligns closely with what we encourage our members to build: intentional anchors.
Her “morning power hour”—journaling, movement, or quiet reflection—isn’t about productivity. It’s about reclaiming attention in a noisy world. And when an hour feels unrealistic, she recommends starting smaller: silent commutes, sensory check-ins, moments of presence.
In health, consistency beats intensity. Small, repeatable practices compound over time—whether that’s movement, recovery, nutrition awareness, or mental clarity.
Why This Conversation Matters for Your Health Journey
If you’ve ever felt like you “know what to do” but struggle to follow through, this episode offers a reframing that removes shame and replaces it with strategy.
Health doesn’t change through pressure. It changes through clarity, support, and design that fits your life.
Press play to hear how clarifying your why, planning for obstacles, rewriting limiting stories, and stacking small wins can transform not just how you move—but how you live. And if this conversation resonated, share it with someone navigating their own health journey.
This is the work. And it’s worth doing well.
To learn more about the exciting work Laurie is stewarding, feel free to visit her website here or follow her work through her LinkedIn profile.
