Over the last few days I’ve found myself thinking less about the finish line and more about the next step.

When you’re trying to make a significant change to your health, it’s easy to become overwhelmed by the scale of the challenge. The end goal can feel so far away that it almost becomes demotivating. That’s why, this time, I’m trying something different.

I’m focusing on the process.

I’ve recently committed to a strict calorie-controlled diet. Not because I expect miracles overnight, but because I want to “break the back” of this journey. Those first few months I think will be the hardest, and if I can build momentum now, the rest of the journey becomes much more manageable.

The key word here is momentum.

This week has reinforced that success isn’t about one perfect workout or one perfect meal. It’s about stringing together lots of small decisions that move me in the right direction.

Every walk counts.

Every gym session counts.

Every sensible meal counts.

On their own, they don’t seem particularly significant. Together, they will hopefully become a lifestyle.

One thing I’m embracing this time is a much more data-driven approach. I’ve always enjoyed numbers, and technology gives me plenty to analyse. Garmin, sleep scores, heart rate, training load, calories, gym sessions… they’re all pieces of a much bigger picture. None of the individual numbers define success, but together they help me understand whether I’m moving in the right direction.

Just as importantly, I’m not doing this alone.

I’ve enlisted the help of a personal trainer to help keep me accountable, challenge my thinking and make sure I’m training intelligently rather than simply training hard. Having someone to provide structure removes a lot of the guesswork and makes it much easier to focus on doing the work.

Today’s training reminded me why I’m doing all of this.

My daughter joined me, and afterwards we relaxed together in the sunshine. Those moments are what matter. Fitness for me isn’t about escaping life; it’s about creating more opportunities to enjoy it. If becoming healthier means I get to spend more quality time with the people I love, then every early morning and every tough session is worth it.

I’ve realised that habits aren’t going to be built through huge moments of motivation.

They’re built through repetition.

Turning up when I said I would.

Making the better choice when nobody is watching.

Doing it again tomorrow.

I’m under no illusion that this is going to be a quick journey. There will be setbacks, holidays, busy weeks, missed sessions and days where motivation is nowhere to be found.

But if I can build patterns that become habits, then eventually those habits will become my normal.

That’s what I’m chasing.

Not perfection.

Not a personal best.

Just becoming a little bit better than I was yesterday.

One small step at a time.