For an embarrassingly long time, one of us (Jonathan) believed that the solution to feeling overwhelmed was simple: just get a completely free day. No schedule. No obligations. Nothing planned. Surely that would feel restful, right?

Except it didn’t.

In this conversation, we unpack why those long-imagined “free days” so often leave us dissatisfied, and why a little bit of discipline often leads to far more joy, meaning, and memorable experiences than total freedom ever does.

Since it’s January and everyone is talking about habits, routines, and New Year’s resolutions, we decided to slow the conversation down and go deeper. Instead of just asking what habits should we build?, we ask the more important question: why do habits matter at all?

What We Talk About

• Why totally unstructured “free days” often feel like wasted days
• The false belief that habits restrict freedom
• How routines actually make adventure possible
• Why the mundane parts of life matter more than we think
• How contrast helps us appreciate both work and rest
• Productivity, purpose, and why humans are wired to work
• The importance of connecting habits to why, not just willpower
• How discipline creates stories, not boredom

If you’re looking for a healthy disruption to your routine—and a lot of meaningful contrast—we’d love for you to explore what we do at Unbound. From our high school programs to Ascend and experiences like Ridgeline, we create environments that stretch habits, build resilience, and invite people into a more purposeful way of living.

Thanks for listening, thanks for thinking with us, and as always—Be Unbound.

Learn more about Unbound: https://beunbound.us/

Hosts: Jonathan Brush, David Rethemeyer

Producer: Kyle Hill