My assumption was that people are already motivated to go to a

Host: The early morning light filtered through the high-rise apartment windows, casting long shadows across the empty living room. Outside, the world was just beginning to wake up, the streets coming alive with commuters, the hum of traffic filling the air. Jeeny stood by the window, her arms crossed, staring out at the city as Jack paced the room, his phone clutched in his hand. The clocks on the wall ticked steadily, but the quiet between them felt heavy, like something unsaid was hanging in the air.

Jeeny: “It’s funny, isn’t it? How we think we have everything figured out, and then life throws us a curveball.”

Jack: “What do you mean?”

Jeeny: “I was just thinking about this quote—from Payal Kadakia, you know, the founder of ClassPass. She said something about how people don’t just need a tool, they need motivation. That’s why gyms exist in the first place.”

Jack: “Motivation, huh? You mean like the drive to actually get off your couch and go work out? I don’t buy it. People don’t need some external force to get them to go to the gym. They just need discipline. If you want to go, you go.”

Host: Jeeny’s eyes narrowed, her lips pressing together in thought. She turned from the window, walking slowly toward Jack, her steps deliberate.

Jeeny: “But discipline isn’t enough, Jack. If it were, we wouldn’t need gym memberships. Payal Kadakia hit the nail on the head. She thought that people were like her—already motivated, already ready to take action. But what she learned is that it’s not that simple. People need more than just a tool. They need a community, they need a structure, and they need someone else to hold them accountable.”

Jack: “Hold them accountable? You’re saying that people can’t get themselves to work out unless someone else is watching them? That’s just weak. If you can’t find the motivation within yourself, then you don’t really want it.”

Host: Jeeny let out a soft breath, her expression serious but softening. She stepped closer, her voice calm but firm.

Jeeny: “It’s not about weakness, Jack. It’s about human nature. We’re not all born with the same level of drive. Some people struggle to make the first step, no matter how badly they want something. That’s where the gym comes in. It’s not just a place to work out. It’s a commitment, a place that forces you to show up.”

Jack: “But that’s the problem, isn’t it? ClassPass and those membership models make it feel like you’re paying for the right to show up, like you’re somehow getting credit for just being there. It’s not real motivation. It’s just a substitute.”

Host: Jeeny’s eyes flashed with something like frustration, but she held herself steady, her words careful, as if trying to explain something she knew to be true.

Jeeny: “It’s not a substitute, Jack. It’s a strategy. Some people need that external push. The accountability of a class or a trainer. It’s a way to make the commitment more real, more tangible. Payal Kadakia found out the hard way that people don’t just need the tool to get started—they need the structure, the community, and the support to keep going.”

Jack: “You’re saying that people can’t find their own drive, their own reason to go? They need a gym membership to feel like they’re obligated to work out?”

Host: Jeeny’s voice softened, almost empathetic now, as she stepped closer to Jack. There was something vulnerable in her tone, like she was speaking from personal experience.

Jeeny: “It’s not about obligation, Jack. It’s about creating a habit. People need more than just a tool. They need structure to make that tool effective. Gyms provide that structure, that framework where you’re expected to show up, where someone else is waiting for you to be there. It’s like building a habit—something you can’t just do on your own sometimes.”

Jack: “So you’re telling me that without external pressure, people can’t find their own motivation? They’re just dependent on someone else to get them to show up? I’m still not convinced.”

Host: The tension between them felt palpable now. Jeeny’s eyes were steady as she searched Jack’s face, trying to make him understand. She spoke again, her voice quieter, more personal.

Jeeny: “No, Jack. It’s not about dependence. It’s about recognizing that we don’t always have the willpower to do everything on our own. That’s why people pay for gym memberships. They’re not paying for the exercise, they’re paying for the structure. The routine that forces them to show up, even when they don’t feel like it. Sometimes, we need that. We need that push.”

Jack: “I don’t know. I still feel like people should just do it on their own. If you can’t find it in yourself, then maybe you just don’t want it enough.”

Host: Jeeny’s gaze softened, her expression more understanding now, as if realizing something about Jack’s perspective. She nodded, a small smile touching her lips.

Jeeny: “I get it, Jack. You’re someone who can push himself, and that’s great. But not everyone works that way. Some people need a little more—external motivation, a community, a reason to show up. The gym becomes a way for them to commit to something they want, but can’t do on their own.”

Jack: “I guess that makes sense. But I still think that at the end of the day, it’s about personal responsibility.”

Host: Jeeny’s smile widened, a quiet victory in her eyes. She reached out, gently resting her hand on Jack’s shoulder.

Jeeny: “It’s about balance, Jack. We all need a little help sometimes. Even if that help comes in the form of a membership or a class. It’s not about weakness. It’s about finding the right tools to achieve what you want.”

Host: The room fell into a comfortable silence, both of them standing there, the weight of the conversation settling into their bones. The city outside continued to stir, as people all over the world were making their own commitments, with or without the help of a gym membership, all in search of that elusive thing called motivation.