The Art of Not Quitting
Yesterday was known as Quitters day, yep January 9th is now known as quitters day and has been since olden times of 2019, you know when life was so much simpler. It was coined when Strava dug into the early year data and noticed by the second Friday of January commitment drops, progress slows and 80% of people fuck it all off altogether.
So, if you are reading this and having a little wobble then read on.
Because….
Here’s the secret to success that no one wants to hear:
The most successful people aren’t the most gifted.
They aren’t the most motivated.
They aren’t the strongest.
They’re the ones who don’t quit.
They show up.
They do the work.
They take imperfect action.
They keep going even when they don’t feel like it.
So, Let’s break down how to master that skill.
Understand that progress is boring
You don’t need heroic workouts.
You need regular ones.
You don’t need to feel pumped every day.
You need to do the thing anyway.
Progress looks like:
- Showing up tired
- Doing 70% effort
- Slow improvements
- Steady habits
- Mundane repetition
Unsexy, but effective.
Expect setbacks (they’re guaranteed)
You WILL hit:
- busy weeks
- stress
- holidays
- illness
- dips in motivation
- plateaus
- sleep chaos
- real-life curveballs
The trick isn’t to avoid setbacks.
It’s to push through or adjust.
Not quitting doesn’t mean perfection.
It means persistence.
Set a minimum standard
Even on the worst days, do something:
- 10 minutes
- A walk
- Stretching
- One set of something
- Show up and do half a session
Minimum standards maintain momentum.
Consistent momentum > occasional hero days.
Build an environment that supports you
- Book classes
- Schedule workouts
- Train with others
- Prepare your kit
- Have a backup plan
- Eat to support training
- Sleep like you give a damn
Bad environment = quitting is easy.
Supportive environment = quitting takes effort.
Make quitting inconvenient.
Know your why
This is key.
Not the vague “I should be healthier.”
But:
- “I want to keep up with my kids.”
- “I want to grow old strong.”
- “I want to feel good naked.”
- “I want to be independent at 70.”
- “I want confidence and energy.”
Your why is fuel.
Use it.
Final Thought
You don’t need to be perfect.
You don’t need to be superhuman.
You don’t need to be motivated every day.
You just need to not quit.
Keep showing up.
Even imperfectly.
Especially imperfectly.
That’s where the real transformations happen.
