Future You’s Regrets: A Christmas Carol for Your Health and Fitness Journey

If you’ve been dragging your feet on starting your health and fitness journey, imagine yourself as the star of a modern-day A Christmas Carol. Instead of Ebenezer Scrooge ignoring the plight of the poor, it’s you ignoring your gym shoes and fitness goals while giving excuses like, “Next year will be my year,” or “I’ll focus on health when I have more time.” Cue the ominous chime of the Ghost of Future You, who appears to haunt you with visions of regret from a future where you waited too long to get started.

Ghost of Procrastination Past

The Ghost of Procrastination Past whispers, “Remember when you were 34 and thought you were ‘too old’ to start a sport or hit the gym? Now you’re 44 and saying the same thing.”

This ghost doesn’t pull punches. It reminds you of every New Year’s resolution that got shelved by February, every gym membership that became a charitable donation to the fitness industry, and every wistful thought of “If I’d started back then, imagine where I’d be now.”

At 40 – 4 years ago – I took up Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)—a sport that’s equal parts chess and wrestling, but where the chessboard actively tries to choke you out. Could I wait until I’m 54 when I might finally have more time? Sure. But let’s be honest: the chances of a 54-year-old me deciding that now is the perfect time to grapple with 20-somethings and roll around in sweaty pyjamas are slim. The bruises don’t heal as fast, the cardio doesn’t magically improve with age, and that one time I sat awkwardly for too long in a chair? Yep, my back still remembers.

The truth is, the optimal time for most physically demanding pursuits isn’t in some mythical, far-off “later.” It’s now—or as close to now as you can manage.

Ghost of Procrastination Present

The Ghost of Procrastination Present is a hard-hitter. It forces you to confront the person you are right now—the one scrolling through Instagram, watching others run marathons, lift weights, or win medals in obscure sports while muttering, “Good for them, but I’m too busy.”

This ghost doesn’t just remind you of the workouts you’re skipping. It shows you the ripple effects:

That energy slump at 3 p.m.? Maybe it’s not just “getting older” but a sign your body wants more movement and better fuel.
The aches and pains you chalk up to age? They might be preventable or manageable with strength training and mobility work.
The way you huff and puff after chasing your kids or running for the bus? That’s your future self asking for a bit of cardio kindness today.

What the Ghost of Procrastination Present really wants you to see is that the excuses keeping you from starting now—lack of time, fear of failure, or the comfort of inertia—won’t go away. In fact, they might multiply. Bill Perkins, in his book Die With Zero, emphasises the importance of doing things at their optimal time. Want to travel the world? It’s better to do it when your knees can still climb Machu Picchu. Want to compete in sports? Start while you can still train without needing a nap after every warm-up.

Applying this to my own life, I know I’m better off competing in BJJ now, at 44. By 54, I might still be rolling, but the margin for error—physically and mentally—narrows with each passing year. Right now, I can hold my own (sometimes), but if I wait, I might find myself sitting on the sidelines, regretting every year I spent thinking, “Later.”

Ghost of Procrastination Future

Ah, the pièce de résistance: the Ghost of Procrastination Future. This ghost is a brutal realist. It doesn’t sugar-coat what happens when you consistently kick your health and fitness goals down the road.

It shows you a version of yourself 10, 20, or 30 years older, dealing with the compounded effects of inaction:

Struggling to carry your shopping because your muscles have weakened.
Watching friends enjoy active retirement adventures while you’re sidelined by preventable health issues.
Wishing you could have started earlier because starting now feels exponentially harder.

And here’s the kicker: Future You isn’t angry at you. They’re just sad. They don’t care if you ever bench-pressed your bodyweight or won a BJJ match. They just wish you’d given them the gift of a stronger, healthier, more capable body to live in.

Perkins’ Die With Zero drives this home beautifully: life is a series of stages, and some experiences have a “best before” date. Sure, you can skydive at 80, but wouldn’t it be more enjoyable when your joints aren’t audibly protesting? The same goes for building strength, developing fitness habits, and trying something new. There’s an optimal time for these pursuits, and it’s usually sooner than we’d like to admit.

Breaking the Chain of Regret

The beauty of A Christmas Carol is its redemption arc. Scrooge doesn’t just wallow in regret; he wakes up, throws open the window, and yells, “You there, boy! What day is it?” He grabs life by the proverbial turkey leg and changes his future in real time.

You can do the same. You don’t need to be perfect; you just need to start. Here’s how:

Set Realistic Goals: You don’t need to train like an Olympian. Aiming for three workouts a week or a daily walk is a great place to begin.
Think Long-Term: Fitness isn’t a quick fix; it’s a lifelong investment. Future You will thank you for every small step you take now.
Embrace the Process: Progress may be slow, but it’s infinitely better than stagnation. Celebrate every victory, no matter how small.
Find Your Why: Whether it’s playing with your kids, competing in BJJ, or just feeling better in your own skin, keep your purpose front and centre.

A Future Without Regret

Imagine a Future You who’s vibrant, active, and thriving—not despite your age, but because you took action when it mattered. Maybe you’ll be competing in BJJ at 54, laughing as you tell your younger opponents, “I’ve been doing this for a decade. Good luck!” Or perhaps you’ll simply enjoy the freedom that comes with a body that moves well and a mind that knows it seized the moment.

The Ghosts of Procrastination don’t have to haunt you. You can rewrite your story now—no time travel required. Future You is waiting, and they’re rooting for you to start today.