Why do people sometimes stop just as they’re picking up momentum?

Self-sabotage can be one of the hardest things to see. You get everything up and running, you’re about to get into the swing of things, and then—bam—there’s a stumble. Maybe it’s a real stumble, like twisting your ankle. Maybe it’s a night where you were supposed to have a single serving, but you ended up finishing the whole box. Now, you’re dreading stepping on the scale because you already know—it’s going to call you out.

At this moment, you have a choice.

Some people take this as proof of failure. That’s it. I knew it. It’s over, just like before.

That thought process? That’s just an old, familiar path. It’s easy to go back to it because it feels like home. But scratch that.

This is where the real test begins.

If you actually hurt yourself, take the necessary time to heal—but decide to stay in the fight.

But let’s say you overate. You indulged in something salty, sweet, and delicious.

So what?

You did what you did. Now own it.

Walk up to that scale and step on it. Face the music. See what it says. Get a clear picture of how that food affected you. Learn from it. You might find out that it didn’t even impact you that much. And if it did? Record it. See how long it takes to rebound. You remember every bite you ate—so use it as data.

Guess what? This is part of the process.

Learning, tracking, understanding cause and effect.

With the right attitude, you can breeze past this. But you need to stay positive. Stay open to learning. Be forgiving—capital F on Forgiving. No more beating yourself down mentally. That’s the old way, and the old way keeps you the same.

Acknowledge the mistake. Own exactly what you did, so you can learn from it. Then, think ahead. Don’t put yourself in the same situation until you’re strong enough to handle it differently.

What do I mean by not putting yourself in the situation?

I’ll give you an example: Peanut M&M’s.

I love Peanut M&M’s way too much for a person aiming to be 10% body fat. If I have them, I eat all of them—no matter how big the package is. So, I made some rules and got some backup.

Rule #1: Never purchase Peanut M&M’s.
Rule #2: At work, I have my buddy Hammerhead Red on watch.

I told him that if he ever sees Peanut M&M’s in my hands, he has full permission to smack them out and scatter them all over the warehouse. It’s been years, and he’s still waiting for his moment. He checks my hands every time I eat something and even asks for the calorie count.

He’s a fantastic and hilarious resource—a perfect example of how getting friends involved can help you stay on track.

See Mistakes as a Quick Commercial Break

These little missteps? They’re just stepping stones. Start seeing them as a quick commercial break—after these messages, I’ll be right back.

Your momentum hasn’t stopped. Your next couple of steps decide your momentum.

Think like a toddler.

When you were learning to walk, you didn’t give up after falling a few times. And look at you now—walking all over the place like a pro.

Why?

Because you knew you could do it.

No doubts back then.

So now, as you’re learning this

fitness walk, remember: You can do it.

If you stumble, stand right back up and keep stepping.

Forgive yourself. Encourage yourself. Learn from yourself. Watch out for your old tricks. Think ahead and plan ahead. Be adaptable—just like your body.

Be the change. Commit to yourself.

Your body won’t adapt unless you really stick to it. It only responds to what you give it and what you do to it.

So next time you think about stopping?

Don’t!

Get up, keep doing, and keep being.

Peace.