I was driving to the grocery store the other day and realized that everything has officially transitioned into holiday decor.

We are still a week, and some change, away from Thanksgiving, yet everything is ‘Christmas ready.’

The windows had snowflake vinyls on them, the storefronts had lights dangling from the rooftops, the signs greeted you with a warm holiday welcome, “it’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas” was blaring over the speakers, and even the food itself had temporary seasons labels placed upon it.

It’s everywhere.

TV. Amazon. Coffeeshops. Yards. Homes. (I’m no different. I already have my Christmas tree set up in my living room. Guilty as charged).

That said, it’s going to get even more absurd come December 1st.

So why is this?

Maybe it’s because we here in America like to celebrate the holiday season, which is true.

But more likely, the motivation is rooted in $$$.

I suppose that’s what happens when you live in a capitalistic society and something like 20% of all total retail sales happen between the months of November and December.

We have a constant reminder, quite literally everywhere, to BUY BUY BUY.

I’m no Grinch, but it’s frankly absurd.

It’s a giving season, we get time off to spend time with family and friends, I get it! I have a product that I sell online and I appreciate it with immense gratitude when people buy it or gift it!

That said, what if we had had a constant reminder, as obvious as Santa Claus, to:

1. get fit

2. work harder

3. take a deep breath

4. check in with your family

5. put down your phone

6. not eat the cookie

7. accomplish your goals

Not that this is about me, but I definitely go through ‘seasons’ when it comes to my interests and how I prioritize my time.

I've spent the last few months hunting. Countless hours of time in a tree or with boots on the ground; scouting, tracking, and hunting for whitetails with a bow and arrow.

I’ve still been training jiu jitsu, working out, reading, writing, working, and socializing. However, the season of fall is dedicated to hunting.

As it comes to an end and I transition my priorities, I often need reminders to cue me into my next season of life.

During the next few months, when most people are ‘over-ing’ (over consuming, over eating, over relaxing, over drinking).

I like to be getting overly fit.

But how?

All we have is reminders to do the opposite.

The process is in the pudding, using these reminders to intentionally condition your own mind.

When you purposefully program associations, positive or negative, it’s related to classical conditioning (think Pavlov’s experiments).

Here are examples:

Aversive Conditioning:

Purpose: To discourage unwanted behavior or habits.

Example: Associating the smell of cigarettes with something unpleasant (e.g., pairing smoking with imagining a gross image or an intense memory of nausea).

Cognitive Reframing:

Purpose: To change your perception of a word, object, or situation.

Example: Training yourself to associate procrastination with stress and wasted time, making it feel less appealing.

Priming or Mental Anchoring:

Purpose: Building self-programmed cues for behavioral responses.

Example: Placing a red object on your desk to trigger focus because you've trained yourself to associate red with determination.

So how can you use Santa Claus as a mental anchor or aversive condition, he’s just so jolly!?

If you want to intentionally associate Santa Claus with fitness (or any other goal), you’re essentially reframing and conditioning a symbol (Santa) to act as a trigger or reminder for a healthier lifestyle.

Here's how you can go about it:

1. Reframe the Narrative

Create a mental or visual story where Santa embodies the need for fitness:

• Imagine Santa struggling to deliver presents because of his weight. He literally is too fat to get down the chimney.

• Visualize a fit Santa, training in the gym, eating only cookies that have over 30g of protein.

• Reinforce this narrative whenever you see Santa imagery.

• Make it absurd.

• Tell the story out loud.

2. Create a Trigger Phrase

Develop a tagline that bridges the association:

• "Don’t be a fat Santa; be fit Santa"

• "Santa’s belly is a warning, not a goal."

• "Put the cookie down!" Arnold voice.

  Seeing Santa would automatically remind you of the phrase and your fitness goals.

3. Use Visual Reminders

Surround yourself with reminders of the reframe:

• Modify an image of Santa to show him lifting weights.

• Keep this image in your workout area or on your fridge as a humorous and motivational cue.

4. Tie it to Action

Condition yourself to take immediate action when you see Santa:

• When you encounter a Santa display, do a quick set of squats or push-ups or better yet, burpees.

5. Aversive Conditioning

Associate Santa’s "belly" with discomfort:

• Every time you eat an unhealthy snack, visualize Santa’s round stomach as a consequence of excess indulgence.

• Think about the feeling when you feel bloated and lethargic.

• Think of Santa, weak and decrepit, struggling with tasks you value (e.g.,jiu jitsu, running, hunting, climbing, playing with kids).

  Over time, these deliberate associations will embed in your subconscious, and Santa’s image will become a fitness cue instead of an indulgence symbol.

I’m not sure I will, but I hope I live for a long time.

I hope that when I am older I am a fit old man, not a fat one.

I want to be able to climb a ladder with ease.

I want to be able to carry a heavy load (of presents).

I want to be able to play with kids and move with agility and balance.

I want to be able to beat that young hungry blue belt bet in the gym.

Your actions must align with your desires.

So be the type of person you want to become.

You don’t need motivation, you just need a clear goal.

Own the Process, 

Tim 

Author of Mastery Monday

Student & Founder