The day will come when your outcome begins to show itself—sometimes in visible rewards, sometimes in the quiet pride of knowing you gave everything you had. Either way, it will reflect your journey. Not just what you achieved, but what you overcame, what you endured, and how hard you fought to become the person who never gave up. Effort shapes outcomes, but more importantly, it shapes you.

One of the worst things we can live with in life is the regret of not completing something years down the road. You know now, and you will and have told yourself: “If I had only…”, “I should have…”, “Why didn’t I…”, will be the words you play over and over. Your future self will wonder why!

A better and more positive way to speak to yourself is: “I gave it my all, and was able to change course..”, “Because of that, I found something better…”.

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There comes a time when your effort feels like it far exceeds your results. You’ve been putting in the work, but the outcome isn’t showing up, or progress hasn’t been seen.  This is the breaking point for many—but it’s also where transformation begins. True success isn’t about instant gratification—it’s about being the kind of person who keeps showing up, even when no one’s clapping. Let this silence build your strength, not shake your belief. If you have a targeted outcome in mind, don’t allow yourself to be swayed. If you stay strong and believe in yourself strongly enough, no one or nothing else will get you to quit and walk away.

Working out is this exact scenario. You’ve been training for days, or weeks, or months, and all of a sudden, you’ve stopped growing or changing. This does not mean you have reached your limits or that there will be nothing left, but to be satisfied where you are. Let your body catch up, let your body and mind adjust to the new you. Now is the time to keep pushing, adjust to the new life style.

Yesterday, we talked about defining your outcome. Detailing your goal so that you are looking at every possible step that you will or might encounter. After all, ‘Fortune favors a prepared mind.’ Each time you plan, you are doing so with an expected type of result at the end. Building up favorable outcomes, so that in the end, you have amassed a large holding of riches through knowledge and experience.

We all want results, but results don’t just appear—they’re built. Effort is the bridge between where you are and where you want to be. On this journey, there are no shortcuts. There are early mornings, uncomfortable challenges, and moments when quitting feels easier. But each time you choose effort over ease, you reinforce your discipline. That’s the difference between wishful thinking and forward movement.

Your workouts will accumulate to a gathering of small, successful outcomes. Which in turn accumulates to the fitness you want and need. The results you needed came from the effort you put into your workout.

The hardest part of any workout isn’t the sweat or sore muscles—it’s the story we tell ourselves before we begin. We immediately begin by thinking about all of the trouble we need to go through in order to get ready to work out. We need to find the energy, remove any distractions, get our workout clothes, we need to get a water bottle, we need to find this, get that ready, go to the car, and drive to where we need to go. Our emotional reactions to failure, discomfort, or even success can either build us or break us. How to train your reactions, just like your body, to support lasting change.
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As an example:  You wake up or get home, your first thought — “I Don’t Feel Like It”
Your main focus:

The initial resistance to exercise is often emotional, not physical. When you think of working out, what’s your first emotional reaction—dread, guilt, annoyance? Where does that come from? Past experiences? Seeing others go through the turmoil? Pick different role models! When that thought shows up, take a deep breath. Don’t argue with it. Just acknowledge it and take one small action anyway: lacing your shoes, turning on music, or grabbing a cold drink of water. Change the attitude and not the circumstances. Your attitude will drive you where you point it!  Think of what more you can do, not less!

Begin by defining your ‘outcome’. Exactly how large or how broad do these outcomes need to be when I am developing and starting a goal that I want? Does this goal support my personal values and purpose? Will this outcome make me stronger, wiser, or more fulfilled? Is this for validation—or is it something I truly want to become or experience? In other words, is it for me?

Reflect on the growth you want - is it for me or is it for someone else? If for me, will it push me - mentally, emotionally, physically, or spiritually? Will it add value to your life, or is it something you are looking to place on your resume? Will the goal or outcome you are seeking leave you proud of how you got there, not just happy that you arrived? If you are not challenging yourself, then what is the point? Do you just want to be occupied, and not accomplish anything, or can you look at yourself and say, “I want something that is going to pain me as I grow”. I want to see if there are any boundaries or limits that I can’t reach. Discomfort means growth, complacency means being settled!

Push yourself to any known limits, then guess what, you now have new boundaries waiting to challenge you!

The hardest part of any workout isn’t the sweat—it’s the story we tell ourselves before we begin. Our emotional reactions to failure, discomfort, or even success can either build us or break us. This week, we’re diving into the emotional and mental struggles that prevent people from sticking to a fitness routine—and how to train your reactions, just like your body, to support lasting change. With mindfulness and awareness, you can turn hesitation into discipline, and doubt into confidence.

Day 1: Reaction and Damage – What you tell yourself
Day 2: Reaction and Damage – Define your outcome, before
Day 3: Reaction and Damage – Your Outcomes are determined by your Determination
Day 4: Reaction and Damage – What if there are stalls 
Day 5: Reaction and Damage – Accumulated Success