The other day I went for a walk here in North Carolina.
Sunny, breezy — one of those days that feels like a reset.

And while I was walking, I realized I needed to talk about something that has been quietly changing my daily habits in a really big way.

It’s simple.

But it’s powerful.

I call it my Red Flag Rule.

The Moment I Almost Didn’t Go to the Gym

I have a schedule I try to follow each week.
Not rigid — but intentional.

Recently I committed to going to the gym three times a week: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday.

That day?

I did not want to go.

Not tired.
Not busy.
Nothing urgent came up.

I just… didn’t feel like it.

So I started negotiating with myself:

“I can go tomorrow.”
“I’ll just change my days this week.”
“That’s the benefit of owning my own business — flexibility.”

And technically?
All of that was true.

But then I noticed something.

The Red Flag

I wasn’t changing my plan because of a real conflict.

I was changing it based purely on emotion.

That’s a red flag.

Because every time I do that, I teach myself:

What I said I’d do doesn’t actually matter.

And that slowly builds habits — just not the habits I want.

It moves me further from my goals and makes me trust myself less.

So I’ve started doing something new:

The moment I recognize a red flag… I immediately do the thing.

No more negotiating.

It Shows Up Everywhere

Not just the gym.

Staying up too late watching a show

“I’ll just watch one more episode.”

Red flag → Go to bed.

Business tasks

“I’ll answer that email tomorrow.”
“I’ll write the blog later.”
“My client isn’t waiting on it yet.”

Red flag → Do it now.

Daily responsibilities

“I don’t have to today.”
“I’ll start next week.”

Red flag → Start today.

Why This Works

Because most of the time we don’t fail our goals due to lack of knowledge.

We fail them through tiny renegotiations with ourselves.

Each one feels harmless.
But they stack.

And slowly you become a person who doesn’t follow through — not because you’re incapable, but because you practiced not following through.

The red flag rule flips that pattern:

The feeling of resistance becomes the cue to act.

Not later.
Now.

A Question For You

What are your red flags?

The moments where you know:

• you should do something but avoid it

• you shouldn’t do something but keep doing it

• you’re making excuses instead of decisions

Instead of seeing those moments as failures…

Start seeing them as instructions.

The red flag isn’t telling you to stop.
It’s telling you exactly what to do next.

I’ve only been practicing this for a short time, but it’s already changing my habits — and honestly, my self-trust.

Small decisions, repeated daily, build the life we keep saying we want.

Maybe your next step is just one red flag away.