Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot
On Fridays, I like to share experiences from my week—both with patients and in my personal life—that have left a meaningful impact. My hope is that these reflections offer you something of value, a bit of insight or encouragement that resonates with your own journey and inspires you in some way.
A recent piece of advice. This week, a friend asked me for one simple piece of guidance to help them “be better.” They wanted to break away from bad habits and start seeing better results, and while they may have expected something profound or cutting-edge, my answer was straightforward. I told them to “avoid donuts, booze, bitching, scrolling, and the couch.” It sounds simple, but simplicity is exactly the point. Lasting improvement rarely comes from complicated solutions; it comes from consistently eliminating the things that quietly hold us back.
Donuts and alcohol represent unnecessary indulgences that may be enjoyable in the moment but add little to our long-term well-being. Complaining drains energy that could be used to find solutions, while endless scrolling steals time we never get back. The couch is a place where we can easily become complacent and stop exerting ourselves if we aren’t careful. When we reduce what harms our bodies, guard our mindset from negativity, and become intentional with our time and movement, we create the conditions for growth. Do that consistently, and better results become a natural outcome.
An important concept. Years of running ultramarathons taught me that the greatest battle is more mental than physical. On countless training runs, every thought urged me to turn around or cut things short. Yet, something interesting happened when I simply ignored that impulse. If I stayed in the effort long enough, my mind eventually stopped resisting and began supporting me. I always imagined it saying, “He’s not going to stop so let’s help him instead.” The lesson here is powerful. In any difficult pursuit, persistence eventually brings mental alignment, and once your mind gets on board, your perceived limits expand dramatically.
This same principle applies to new habits, careers, and challenges of all kinds. Early discomfort, inconsistency, and self-doubt are part of the process, not signs of failure. When you continue showing up despite the struggle, a shift occurs and your mind stops seeking comfort and starts adapting to the new standard. Strength, creativity, and resilience begin to replace the hesitations you once had. Repeatedly pushing through when things feel hard trains your mind to accept adversity and eventually thrive within it.
Something that helps me. Like many people, I don’t enjoy having unfinished tasks hanging over my head. When something is incomplete, it quietly drains mental energy until it’s addressed. Of course, life rarely allows us to tackle everything at once, and many responsibilities require repeated effort over time. What I’ve found most effective is a simple but powerful approach: identify the biggest or most demanding task and take care of it first, or as early as possible.
If there’s a call I’m avoiding or a task I’m dreading, I make it my first order of business. Similarly, I wake up early to exercise, plan, and take care of family responsibilities so they don’t linger in the background all day. Tackling the hardest thing(s) first creates momentum, builds confidence, and makes everything else feel more manageable and easier. By structuring my routine around confronting the largest obstacles head-on, I’ve significantly improved my efficiency, reduced stress, and gained better control of my time.
An analogy I like. Recently, my dishwasher stopped working properly and, as it turned out, all it needed was a new pump. The fix wasn’t complicated or expensive, and once it was installed, the entire machine worked perfectly again. Nothing else was wrong with it, and it certainly didn’t need to be thrown away. That experience was a reminder that many systems don’t fail because they’re broken beyond repair but rather, they struggle because one key component needs attention. This same principle is often true for people.
Each of us has strengths, talents, and value, yet sadly we tend to fixate on flaws, past losses, or parts of ourselves we wish were different. Like that dishwasher, we don’t need to stop living fully or discard our gifts because of one issue. Often, progress comes from identifying and improving a single habit, behavior, or mindset that’s holding us back. When we do, we begin to function more smoothly and confidently. Never forget that you are never broken beyond repair; you are valuable, capable, and often just one adjustment away from reaching or regaining your potential.
Some quotes I Love.
“The reason why you stop and start is because the goal is not meaningful enough.” – Eric Thomas
“Losers react. Leaders anticipate. Get ahead of your problems not behind them.” – Grant Cardone