“Locking In” Is a Phase. Systems Are Forever

Guest Post - Olivia Oneid

“I just need to lock in.”

I hear this all the time. And every time I do, I know what’s coming next.

• A short burst of perfection.

• A rigid plan.

• A spike in effort.

• And eventually… collapse.

Because “locking in” assumes two things:

1. That intensity creates permanence

2. That failure means the plan didn’t work

Neither is true.

Change doesn’t come from temporary obsession. It comes from repeated exposure to effort, especially when conditions aren’t ideal.

The people who succeed long term aren’t the most intense. They’re the mostconsistent.

They expect:
• missed meals
• imperfect days
• disrupted routines
• emotional fluctuations

And instead of quitting, they adapt.

They don’t ask, “How do I stay perfect?” They ask, “How do I keep going when I’m not?”

That’s where systems matter.

A system assumes you’ll fail sometimes. It already has a response built in.

Lock-in culture has no exit strategy. Systems do.

If you want results that last longer than a motivational wave, stop trying to lock in. Start building something you can return to… again and again.

That’s how identity changes. Quietly. Relentlessly. Over time.

Systems aren’t flashy. They don’t feel heroic. But they’re what carry you forward when discipline dips, and life interferes. Building those systems is a skill, not a personality trait. If you want help designing an approach that fits your reality instead of fighting it, schedule a call with me or one of our coaches atwww.masterathletic.com.

Olivia Oneid

Coach, Master Athletic Performance