Seasons of Focus: Why You Don’t Have to Go All In on Everything at Once

I just started reading Unhinged Habits by Jon Goodman. By the time this blog comes out I’ll probably be finished because I love to read!

Anyways, there’s a concept in the book that immediately made sense to me because I’ve basically been doing it for years — just without putting a name to it.

Jon talks about the “Golden Three” in one of the chapters. The “Golden Three” are

• Money

• Health

• Relationships

  
  

The idea is that your life moves in seasons. You’ll have periods where one of those becomes the main focus, and the other two just get the minimum effective dose. Not ignored. Just maintained.

After a few months, the season changes. Something else moves to the front.

That makes way more sense than trying to max out everything at once.

Because no one can push 100% in all areas of life at the same time without burning out. For example, I have seen countless people lose weight and then they gain it all back and then some because life hits them smack dab in the face.

I Added a Fourth One

For me, it’s not a triangle. It’s more of a square.

Money.

Health.

Relationships.

Hobbies.

Sometimes I’ll focus more on guitar. Other times I’ll spend more time learning Italian.

Sometimes it’s reading.

But I don’t try to level up all four corners at once. That’s a quick way to feel like you’re always behind.

I think hobbies should be included here because it helps make life interesting and it helps to ignite the fire with the other corners (money, health and relationships)

When I had my old business Bisbee’s Fitness Experience, I was so focused on the money part that running my business became my hobby, and after a while, that interfered with my health and then I struggled with relationships.

It was a domino effect because I did not think hobbies were important enough.

The Oilfield Years

 I worked in the oilfield as a firefighter/medic; I worked 12-hour days.

Long shifts. Mentally draining. Physically draining.

When I got back to camp, I didn’t want to do a full workout. I didn’t want an hour in the gym.

So I didn’t do that.

I did a kettlebell program called Simple & Sinister.

100 one-arm kettlebell swings.

10 Turkish get-ups (5 each side).

 15 minutes total.

Usually with a 28kg bell.

That was it.

Fifteen minutes.

And I stayed in great shape.

Not “peaking for a competition” shape. But strong. Lean. Capable.

Because health wasn’t the main focus of that season. It was on maintenance.

That gave me space to put energy into other things — family, guitar, Spanish (at the time),  and reading.

 I didn’t feel stretched thin.

Here’s the Part Nobody Talks About

The fitness industry loves extremes.

Train 5 days a week.

More volume.

More sweat.

More everything.

And yes — if fat loss or performance is your priority right now, you probably should train 4–5 days a week.

But once you reach your goal?

You don’t have to live there.

You can train twice a week. Lift something heavy. Move well. And maintain.

Maintenance takes way less work than building.

Then, when health becomes “in season” again, you ramp it up. Add more days. Add more structure.

Push harder.

That’s sustainable.

This Is Real Life

If you’re a parent, your life isn’t linear.

You’ll have:

• Career push seasons

• Newborn seasons

• Financial stress seasons

• Relationship repair seasons

• Hobby rediscovery seasons

  
  

Trying to operate at full capacity in every area at once just leads to frustration.

Instead, ask yourself:

What season am I in right now?

Then go harder in that area.

Keep the others at maintenance

Rotate when needed.

Maintenance Is Not Failure

This is the biggest mindset shift.

If you’re only training twice a week because work is intense right now — that’s not quitting.

That’s playing the long game.

If you’re not exercising as much as you should be doing  because you’re focused on your kids because they are going through a tough time that’s not giving up.

It’s a season.

The key is you don’t let anything drop to zero.

You keep it alive. Just at a lower setting.

You don’t need to be extreme to stay fit.

Sometimes 15 minutes with a kettlebell is enough.

Sometimes two workouts per week is enough.

Sometimes, maintaining is winning.

Life moves in seasons. Your training should too.