81: Collapsing Your Timeline: Achieve More by Giving Yourself Less Time

Are you giving yourself too long to achieve your metabolic health goals?

Many people believe that giving yourself more time will make the process easier, but this often leads to procrastination and frustration. Your timeframe is likely longer than it needs to be, and it’s time to collapse it. To be clear, I’m *not* suggesting we rush fat loss itself. Instead, we’ll learn how setting shorter, focused deadlines can accelerate progress and improve results.

In this blog, I’ll show you how collapsing your timeline can energize you, push you out of your comfort zone, and help you achieve more in less time. Read on to explore strategies for collapsing your timeline and making the most of each day. Plus, we’ll cover key questions to shift you into a get-it-done-today mentality.

The Concept of “Collapsing Your Timeline”

I recently heard a podcast with Stacey Boehman, a business coach I’ve admired for a while. She talked about something called “collapsing your timeline”, which she uses to help people grow and scale their businesses faster. Stacey often finds that clients who want to join her programs keep pushing their start date further into the future, saying things like, “I’ll join in three years.” But she struggles to understand why people would want to stretch out their timeline and prolong those tough early stages.

This idea isn’t just for business. Whether you’re launching a new project, training a pet, or adapting to a big life change, the beginning can be rough. But dragging out the timeline often just means enduring the discomfort longer. And, as Stacey highlights, this can lead to ongoing frustration and delay.

There's a saying I’ve always found to be true in my life: "We take as much time as we give ourselves." Whenever I give myself too much time, I tend to procrastinate and lose focus. On the other hand, setting a shorter deadline often makes me more driven and productive.

Collapsing your timeline isn't about rushing the process but about setting clear, achievable deadlines that push you to act more decisively and effectively. Let’s explore how you can use this approach to improve your metabolic health goals and achieve results faster.

Using Collapsed Timelines to Hit Your Metabolic Health Goals

Many of my clients have fat loss goals because they know it’s impacting their blood sugar and overall health. While a slow pace can work for some, there comes a point where progress stalls, and frustration builds.

For instance, I recently spoke with a patient who, despite being on a maximum dose of medication, was still experiencing urges and cravings. My first question was about their water and protein intake. After an audit, it became clear they were consuming only 50 grams of protein daily when their goal was 120 grams.

They were running on empty, and naturally, the body ramped up cravings to try and get them to consume more. But when this patient was faced with the idea of increasing protein intake, they felt overwhelmed by the volume of food.

So we broke it down: a Premier or Fair Life drink for 30 grams of protein, plus three ounces of chicken and one Greek yogurt would get them close to their goal. Realizing that these three items could quickly get them to 100 grams of protein made the target feel more manageable and less daunting.

By breaking down this patient’s protein intake into manageable steps, we could achieve their target without the added stress of a long, drawn-out plan. This approach not only simplifies the process but also helps you see results faster and more effectively.

Rethinking Your Timeline for Better Results

Imagine if you stopped giving yourself endless time to achieve your goals and instead had to succeed in a shorter period. How would that change your approach? What would you do differently today? It’s crucial to eliminate excuses and confront the realities of your situation. Ask yourself: What am I allowing by giving myself too much time, and how is it holding me back?

If you’re stuck in a rut and seeing little progress, it might be time to reconsider your timeline. Rather than letting frustration build, challenge yourself to condense your goals into tighter deadlines. This doesn't mean rushing or taking messy action, but rather focusing sharply on what's essential.

Consider how you can collapse your timeline for any goal. If it’s about getting more water in, set up reminders, use a water bottle that’s always visible, and create habits that support your goal. 

So here’s my challenge to you: collapse your timelines. Don’t give yourself too much time. Get it done now. Blow your mind with what you can achieve in the next 30 days, the next six months, or even the next 12 months. Imagine being in a place you never thought possible. Focus on making every day count and take proactive steps to achieve your goals. Reduce the time you spend on less critical tasks and concentrate on what truly drives progress.