Why All-or-Nothing Thinking Keeps You From Exercising | Michelle SegarWhy All-or-Nothing Thinking Keeps You From Exercising | Michelle Segar
The One You Feed
Eric Zimmer and Michelle Seeger talk about how all-or-nothing thinking keeps people from exercising and why flexible, resilient movement matters more than rigid perfection. They discuss motivation, choice points, and the idea that a little bit of something can be far better than a lot of nothing.
56:12•23 Jun 2026
Why Doing "A Little Bit" Beats Doing Nothing: Michelle Seeger on Exercise Mindsets
Episode Overview
- Rigid, idealised exercise standards often lead people to choose doing nothing instead of a smaller, more realistic option.
- Many people secretly dislike the specific workouts they plan, so all-or-nothing moments become an escape from dreaded exercise.
- Shifting from guilt-based "should" motives to wellbeing-focused "want" motives can make movement feel more appealing and sustainable.
- Treating exercise as flexible choices at daily choice points, rather than fixed habits, builds behavioural resilience over time.
- Doing a little bit of movement – even far less than planned – helps maintain identity, momentum, and long-term consistency.
“A little bit of something is better than a lot of nothing.”
Curious about how others manage the messy gap between good intentions and actually moving their bodies? This conversation between host Eric Zimmer and behavioural researcher Michelle Seeger breaks down why so many people get stuck in an all-or-nothing mindset around exercise. Michelle shares findings from one of the first studies into all-or-nothing thinking and physical activity.
She explains that most people have rigid, highly personalised standards for what "real" exercise should look like – whether it's 45 minutes of running outside or a full gym session. If life gets in the way and they can't meet that exact standard, many simply pick "nothing" rather than a more flexible "something". The surprising twist is that a lot of people don’t even want to do the exercise they’ve planned.
In those moments when plans collide with low energy, family demands, or work pressures – what Michelle calls "choice points" – doing nothing becomes a quiet escape from something they secretly dread. That’s why her long-standing mantra, "a little bit of something is better than a lot of nothing", becomes so powerful.
She and Eric talk about shifting from guilt-driven "shoulds" (like a doctor’s warning) to genuine "wants" by finding movement that feels good and supports daily wellbeing, not just distant health goals. They also question the popular push for automatic habits, arguing that complex behaviours like exercise and eating happen in constantly changing contexts and need flexibility rather than rigid routines.
At the heart of the episode is Michelle’s core idea: we ought to be teaching behavioural resilience and flexible planning, helping people build a "movement menu" that fits different moods, time limits, and energy levels. Instead of perfection or nothing, it’s about stubborn commitment paired with extreme flexibility.
If you’ve ever skipped a workout because you couldn’t do it "properly", this chat might make you rethink what counts as success – so what small bit of movement could you choose next time instead of nothing?
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