How bad do you want it to happen?
Last year, I made a promise to myself to start going to the gym consistently.
Not every single day. But I made sure to show up at least once a week.
At first, it was just about building the habit. But as I kept going, a frustrating thought started to creep in. There were days when I’d leave the gym and think: I could have done more.
I could have put in more reps.
I could have lifted heavier weights.
I could have given more effort.
On those days, I didn’t feel good afterwards. Honestly, I felt stupid. I felt like I was failing myself. But over time, I learned to accept that there will always be good days, and there will always be bad days.
Some days you feel incredibly strong. Other days, you feel completely weak. But feeling weak does not mean you are weak. More importantly, having an off day does not diminish the effort of simply showing up.
When I stepped back and looked at why I felt weak, it rarely had to do with my actual strength.
Sometimes, I felt weak because I had just finished a heavy set and was literally on my last breath. Other times, I felt weak because I had pulled an all-nighter for work, and my body was starved for sleep. And sometimes, it was because I hadn’t eaten properly. I fueled my body with junk food, and it simply didn’t have the nutrients to push as hard as my mind wanted to.
It made me realize something bigger. Life works in a similar way.
Whether it’s in the gym, in your career, or in your personal life, there will always be fluctuations. Good days and bad days.
Some days are wonderful. Whatever you are doing just works. You feel great, happy, and entirely content.
Some days are bad. Nothing goes right, and everything feels heavy. It rains and it pours.
And some days just pass by. They aren’t good, and they aren’t bad. You just go through the motions, finishing the day without feeling much of anything at all. Most days feel like this, if I’m being honest.
And that is completely okay.
You cannot control exactly how you will feel every time you wake up. But you can control your commitment to the process. You can show up everyday, rain or shine.
The goal is not to live your life perfectly. The goal is not to be the person who never makes mistakes. The goal is to believe in yourself - that you will show up, no matter how. And that is how you build confidence.
Because showing up on a bad day is still infinitely better than not showing up at all.
Forgive yourself for the bad days.
Rest if you need to.
Eat a little better.
Sleep a little longer.
But whatever you do, just keep showing up.
And believe in yourself.
I hope you found this insightful, remember:
It’s not going to be easy
But it’s not impossible
Your friend,
Brian