Last week, I got a call from on of my pro players I’ve been coaching for years.

“I can’t stay consistent with my training. Some weeks I crush it, others I barely show up because I feel so drained. I know what to do, but I just can’t stick with it. Why can’t I stay disciplined?”

I smiled because I hear this exact question all the time.

Here’s the truth: it’s not his discipline that’s failing — it’s his environment that’s working against him.

Today, I’ll show you how to build an environment that makes training automatic, even when life throws you curveballs.

Discipline, Like Motivation, Is Overrated (There, I Said It)

I used to believe discipline was the holy grail of elite athletes. Want better results? Just work harder, be more consistent, push through the pain.

Then I started working with elite players, and I realized something.

One of my athletes, was putting in more hours than anyone else. 6 AM workouts, perfect nutrition, extra cardio sessions. His discipline was unquestionable.

But despite all that work, his wasn’t seeing progress. He was constantly battling fatigue, fighting through workouts, and feeling like training was an uphill battle every single day.

I asked him to walk me through his typical day, and that’s when we realized the problem.

He was spending his mental energy fighting against his environment instead of working with it.

He’d wake up and first have to decide when to train that day. Then figure out what to eat. Then hunt for his gear. Every day was an improvised grind.

He wasn’t lacking discipline – he was drowning in a chaotic environment that worked against his goals.

When we restructured his environment to support his training instead of fighting it, his performance skyrocketed.

And here’s the crazy part: everything actually felt easier for him.

Unfortunately, most athletes never figure this out. They’re too busy trying to be more disciplined and doing more than everyone else, when their environment is setting them up to fail.

Here’s why this happens:

• They mistake struggling for success — We were told “nothing comes easy”, and so fighting your environment feels virtuous, and grinding through the struggle feels rewarding. But it’s actually inefficient.
• They try to out-hustle poor planning — No amount of motivation fixes a fundamentally broken schedule
• They ignore the invisible force of decision fatigue — Making dozens of small choices drains the mental energy needed for training and performing at your best.
• They let random events dictate their routine — Without systems, life’s chaos becomes an excuse to skip workouts

But there’s an even deeper issue here - one that separates athletes who make it to the next level from those who don’t.

Taking Ownership of Your Development

If you’re serious about reaching the next level, here’s a hard truth: it’s time to stop letting other people manage your career.

I see this constantly with younger athletes. They have talent and drive, but they’re still letting mom pack their meals, dad remind them about bedtime, and coaches determine what work they do.

The athletes who make it to college programs or pro teams aren’t waiting for instructions — they’re taking full ownership.

They pack their own meals. Set their own alarms. They build their environment intentionally rather than living reactively.

If you’re still relying on parents and coaches to manage your development, you won’t last a week at the next level.

They’re looking for athletes who drive their own development and create environments that support their goals.

The solution isn’t more discipline. It’s taking ownership and building an environment that makes success almost inevitable.

Let’s dive in.

Step 1: Working Backwards From Your “Big Rocks”

Last month, I started working with a top hockey prospect who was trying to train everyday of the week while juggling classes, team practice, and a part-time job.

His first words to me were: “I need to be more disciplined”

I told him: “No, you need better planning”

Here’s what we did:

We took out his calendar and blocked off all his non-negotiables first — classes, team practices, work shifts, family commitments. I call these the “big rocks.”

Only after seeing his actual available time did we schedule his training sessions. Not when he hoped they’d fit, but where they actually could.

The result? He went from completing about 60% of his planned workouts to hitting almost all of them in the first two weeks.

Nothing changed about his discipline. We just stopped pretending he could train when he couldn’t.

Your action step: Tonight, pull out your calendar and block your big rocks for the next two weeks. Then schedule your training sessions in the actual gaps, not where you wish they could be. Treat these sessions as non-negotiable appointments with yourself.

Step 2: Eliminate Decision Points (They’re Killing Your Progress)

I noticed something interesting while working with my group pro hockey players last summer.

Every morning at 7 or 8 AM, they’d arrive at the training facility for their workout.

Some would show up energized and locked in. Others looked drained before we even started.

It wasn’t about talent or sleep quality. It was about what happened before they even got to the gym.

The players who consistently performed better had routines that eliminated decisions: workout clothes laid out the night before, breakfast prepared in advance, gym bags packed and ready by the door.

The others? They woke up and immediately faced a ton of small decisions: What should I eat? Where’s my water bottle? Which shorts should do I wear? What time should I leave to make it on time? (they were usually late)

By the time they reached the gym, they’d already depleted their mental energy on dozens of choices.

Here’s what most athletes miss: It’s not just about one workout. That morning scramble might not seem like a big deal for a single session, but when you’re making those same draining decisions day after day, before every workout, every game, and every commitment — it creates a constant energy leak.

You feel like you’re grinding harder than ever, but you’re actually just burning mental energy on random things instead of performance. No wonder so many athletes feel stuck despite “putting in the work.”

When I started having players streamline their mornings by eliminating these decision points, their performance and mentality improved dramatically.

Nothing changed about their actual training – only the environment leading up to it.

We implemented simple fixes:

• Sunday meal prep for breakfasts and post-workout nutrition
• Training gear packed and ready the night before
• Workouts programmed in advance, no guesswork
• Sleep and recovery routines standardized

One player who struggled with consistency told me later, “It’s crazy how much easier training feels when I’m not rushing all the time.”

Your action step: Identify three decision points that drain your energy before training. Eliminate them this week through preparation. For example, prep your pre and post-workout meals in advance, pack your gym bag the night before, or program your workouts for the entire week on Sunday.

Step 3: The Weekly Reset (Your Secret Weapon)

This is where everything comes together.

Even the best environment needs maintenance. Life happens. Schedules change. Without a system to reset your environment regularly, chaos takes over.

We learned this the hard way after watching elite athletes crash every couple weeks despite perfect training plans.

The solution? A weekly reset.

One pro client of mine dedicates an hour every Sunday to his reset:

• Reviews his calendar for the upcoming week
• Identifies any schedule conflicts and resolves them
• Prepares meals for the next couple days
• Packs his training and recovery gear

This single habit has been more valuable than any workout program I could write for him.

When unexpected events hit (and they always do), he has the foundation to adapt rather than collapse.

Your action step: Block 30-60 minutes this Sunday for your first weekly reset. Focus on the week ahead: review your calendar, prep your meals, organize your gear.

The Environment Advantage

I’ve seen this system work at every level, from young athletes to pros.

The pattern is always the same: when your environment supports your goals, consistency becomes almost effortless.

Training happens automatically. Nutrition stays on track. Recovery becomes routine. Progress becomes inevitable rather than occasional.

That’s the power of environment over willpower.

You can fight against your surroundings daily, grinding yourself down in the process. Or you can build a system that makes success the path of least resistance.

Your environment will either work for you or against you. The choice is yours.

See you next Saturday,

Tony

Whenever you’re ready, here are 3 ways I can help you:

​1. In-Season Training Library: Access our complete library of in-season workouts - the exact ones we use with our pros. Program these directly into your schedule and eliminate decision fatigue with pre-built, proven training sessions for every phase of your season.

​2. Pro Hockey Academy: Join hundreds of serious athletes in our off-season development program. Get the same training system that’s produced NHL draft picks and Stanley Cup champions, with lifetime updates.

​3. Virtual Training: Work with me personally through custom 1:1 virtual coaching to make this off-season your best yet. My team and I will help you build your complete performance environment from the ground up - training, nutrition, recovery, and mental performance.