Why Do I Do What I Don't Want to Do?

How to overcome the habits that are stealing joy from your life

Our upside-down culture celebrates vice and undervalues virtue, leading us to feed the wrong habits while we allow life-giving practices to die. It's no wonder we feel empty, exhausted, and directionless.

There's a better, more fulfilling way to live, and it doesn't involve looking inside yourself for the answers--because that's not where you'll find them. With his signature wit and wisdom, Jonathan "JP" Pokluda explains, unpacks, and expands on the age-old virtues we're told to pursue in Scripture: humility, forgiveness, sobriety, generosity, diligence, self-control, authenticity, rest, optimism, and gratitude. Far from being restrictive, these God-given goals for living free us to love and live as we wish we would.

Practicing virtues is not just something you do--it's something done in you, slowly but surely transforming you into the person you were meant to be all along. Whether you're eighteen or eighty, it's never too late to redefine what's important to you and reclaim a life of virtue.


"Every Christian I know gets stuck at some point in their journey doing something they don't want to do. In this book, JP not only shows you the way out but also presents a biblical and practical path to freedom that only Jesus can offer."--Jennie Allen, New York Times bestselling author of Find Your People; founder and visionary of IF: Gathering

"For all of us who wonder why sin is so tempting and wish we had better tools to turn away from it, JP gives us those tools in this book. It's genuine, kind, and may sting a little, but it will also walk you toward who you want to be."--Annie F. Downs, New York Times bestselling author of That Sounds Fun von Pokluda, Jonathan Jp;Green, Jon;