Is It Really Time, Or Just Preparation?
- Joe LaLeune
- Sep 4
- 4 min read
Hey substackers,
Let me ask you something.
How many times have you said, “I just don’t have time to work out today”?
Maybe you even believed it.
But if we’re being honest… is it really the schedule?
Or is it the lack of preparation?
I get it—life is busy. Especially if you’re juggling parenting, work, relationships, and maybe trying to do something for yourself on top of it all. The clock starts ticking the second you wake up. And before you know it, that little workout window you thought you had? Gone.
But here’s something I’ve been sitting with lately:
It’s not about finding more time.
It’s about being more prepared.
Jiu-Jitsu with JJ (and What It Taught Me)
A few months back, I started doing jiu-jitsu on Saturday mornings with JJ, my now 4-year-old.
Now, if you’ve ever tried doing jiu-jitsu with a toddler, you know it’s equal parts chaos and comedy. Half the time we’re tumbling around like baby pandas. But underneath the giggles and the foot sweeps, something cool started to happen. JJ’s learning how to move his body, balance, coordination, spatial awareness, and so am I. I’ve been training for years, but starting my day with movement like this? It’s different.
There’s a flow. A breath. A rhythm. And it hit me: what I’m getting from this at 35 is the same thing JJ’s getting at 4.
We’re both learning how to move better, think clearer, and reset our nervous systems first thing in the morning.
Why Mornings Matter (Even When They Suck)
There’s a saying I love:
“The hardest thing you’ll ever do is the hardest thing you’ve done so far.”
So if you start your day with something hard, everything else feels lighter.
Traffic doesn’t bother you as much.
Emails don’t feel like attacks.
And when your kid spills yogurt on your only clean shirt… you laugh instead of explode.
Why?
Because you already chose challenge once that day. You already won something.
I’m not naturally a morning person.
I don’t leap out of bed like The Rock with a gallon of water and a playlist blasting.
Mornings are hard.
What’s made them work for me isn’t motivation.
It isn’t discipline, even.
It’s preparation.
How I Prep (and Why It Matters)
Pack the Night Before
This one’s stupid simple. But I used to skip it. And then I’d waste 10 minutes in the morning trying to find socks. Or forget my mouthguard. Or end up late. Or say “screw it” and skip the workout altogether.
Now? Everything’s lined up. Bag’s packed. Water filled. Shoes ready. Keys in place.
Even my socks are stuffed in my shoes so I’m not rooting around like a raccoon at 6am.
The less thinking required in the morning, the more likely you are to move.
Meal Prep (Just a Bit)
Not a full-on bodybuilding meal plan. Just basic prep.
If you’re winging breakfast and trying to get out the door, you’re setting yourself up for chaos.
I prep burrito bowls, wraps, or leftovers I can grab and go.
No last-minute scrambling. No skipping meals. No drive-thru “emergencies.”
Work Essentials Ready
Laptop charged. Charger packed. Notes in bag.
It’s not just workouts that fall apart when you’re unprepared—it’s your whole rhythm.
When everything’s in place, you move like someone who has time.
Because prepared people look like they have more time—even if they don’t.
Be Ruthless with your Alarm
This one’s big.
I treat my alarm like a contract.
When it goes off, I get up, that’s the agreement I made with myself last night.
I don’t renegotiate in the morning.
Because that version of me—the one curled up in bed, negotiating with the ceiling, rationalizing extra sleep—is not the one I want running my day.
You don’t need to get up at 4 a.m.
Even 6:30 or 7:00 is plenty—if you’ve prepared.
Here’s the Shift That Matters
Most people try to fit a healthy routine into a chaotic life.
That’s like trying to perform surgery in the middle of a food fight.
Instead, I started thinking like this:
Instead of “Why can’t I stay consistent?” Look at it like “Where am I unprepared?” Then you can take action, instead of beating yourself up.
That’s where things really changed.
Because once I started stacking simple preparations—packing the bag, filling the bottle, setting out clothes—my identity shifted.
I became the kind of person who shows up.
And when that switch flips, everything changes. You start tightening up other areas too.
Sleep.
Nutrition.
Screen time.
Even how you show up for your family and your work.
It all starts the night before.
Final Thought
If you’ve been frustrated with your lack of consistency, don’t beat yourself up.
Don’t jump into a 75-day challenge or wake up at 4am tomorrow.
Just do one thing tonight.
Lay out your socks.
Pack your lunch.
Fill your water bottle.
Then wake up tomorrow and move.
That’s it.
Prep. Move. Repeat.
And who knows—maybe you’ll find your version of jiu-jitsu with JJ along the way.
If this hit home, and you want to build a life that’s more dialed in—without needing to become a monk or a Navy SEAL—
I’ve got something for you:
It’s my weekly newsletter built for high performers, former athletes, busy professionals, and parents who want to train smarter, live sharper, and stop coasting.
Every week I break down:
Time-efficient training systems
Performance nutrition
Recovery and sleep protocols
Longevity habits
Tools and gear that actually matter
It’s fast. It’s actionable. It’s not fluff. It’s free.
Subscribe at www.highperformanceplaybook.ca
Let’s build something that lasts.
—Joe
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