No, people's preferences actually do alternate as a long-range goal becomes a shorter-range one. It has to do with the discount function we apply to the time di

No, people's preferences actually do alternate as a long-range goal becomes a shorter-range one. It has to do with the discount function we apply to the time dimension between us and a possible reward. This distinction is important because, as illustrated, your conception requires you to simply wait for things to come on autopilot (good luck!). My description of the problem points to a completely different strategy, which is the creation of precommitment devices. If you go to the gym solely powered by the goal of having a great body, it's very likely you'll fail that habit, per my earlier point. The far more resilient strategy is to find something you enjoy and actually desire about the actual behavior you're engaged in (which is working out, not having a great body). The outcome of a habit is merely exhaust, and the more you can perceive it that way, the better you'll be at building habits.