In case you missed my email from a couple of weeks ago, Steve asked me to write some more focused fitness and nutrition content for the Rebellion.
And since then, I received a TON of emails from people circling around the same thing: a lack of belief they can actually make change work this time! I bet you can relate:
“Biggest challenge – losing trust in the process and myself.”
“Having trouble believing that being consistent will actually help and being scared that no matter what I do I’ll fail.“
“I’m afraid of failing, I’m trying to not set myself up to fail but it all seems so daunting. I know all the words for the “right” mindset, but I just can’t seem to find the will/energy/desire to go and do anything after work.”
These fears are very, VERY normal. (Though that doesn’t make them any less sucky to deal with!)
So, what do we do when we are feeling stuck and scared of how overwhelming this all feels?
💡 The Most Important Thing
While every story is different, there’s one thing I’ve noticed that really helps you have a higher chance of success:
Building momentum early – and then protecting that momentum.
Early wins make the rest of the journey easier.
And sure, an early win MIGHT look like seeing the scale move or getting stronger in the gym.
But those things are results that come weeks or even months later, AFTER doing “the thing” consistently. That isn’t helpful in the moment when we are feeling uncertain and overwhelmed.
That’s why I like to start by tracking and celebrating effort.
Picking 1-2 repeatable actions that you can practice each day:
Each action is a WIN, which is a small sign of progress.
And if we can recognize and celebrate each action, it starts to build proof that “I am the type of person who can do this, even when it’s hard.”
And that little bit of hope?
It can be enough to keep going through the tough parts.
👨🔬 A Real-Life Example
Let’s take my client Ben, for example. He was in this exact same boat when we started working together.
- Super busy work schedule with an hour commute each way
- 4 young kids at home
- Had a recent health scare that made him realize it was time to make a change
- Not sure where to start, and really afraid this would be another attempt that he tried and failed at
So we talked about all those things openly – the REAL constraints on his time and energy, the fear that this wouldn’t work, and his hope for a future where he felt better and fitness didn’t feel so hard to stick with.
And then we picked a few things that we thought could be a good place to start.
✅ A 10min walk during his lunch break
✅ A list of go-to orders at restaurants around his work – so he would always have a good option even in a pinch
✅ Push-ups off the countertop every time he brushed his teeth.
And while these actions may seem small, they had an outsized impact. They allowed us to build consistency and practice overcoming obstacles FIRST, then we could worry about optimizing for outcomes LATER.
And that’s where the real magic happens—not just in physical change, but in mindset:
“I’m the kind of person who shows up.”
“I can trust myself to follow through.”
“I know how to get back on track when life happens.”
Ask any of our most successful clients, and they’ll say the biggest change wasn’t just in their body.
Their biggest change was actually in how they thought about fitness, habits, and who they believed they could become.
🕳️ The Pitfall
When we start with trying to optimize, doing everything “perfectly” right from the get-go, it can feel like we’re drowning and not able to keep up.
That just reinforces the belief that we aren’t able to make any changes. That we’re just one of the people who “this stuff doesn’t work for.”
That’s the exact trap we are trying to avoid!
Of course, everyone’s starting point is different. You may be able to jump right into a multiple day per week workout routine, or more aggressive nutrition changes.
The point isn’t to FORCE yourself to take on less than you are capable of – it’s to make sure you can balance “challenging” with “doable” so you can build belief in yourself and the process.
Fast forward two years, and Ben’s routine looks much different from where we started.
- He now does a strength workout 4x/week in the morning before work
- He goes through periods where he tracks his calories and macros, and others where we take a more relaxed approach with a general focus on getting plenty of protein, fruits and vegetables each day
- He prioritizes sleep and gets over 8,000 steps each day
While Ben has gotten stronger, lost over 30lbs, and seen his blood markers improve – it all started with the most important thing: building momentum.
🎬 Where do I start?
So where does that leave you, today? Here’s how I’d approach it.
✅ Acknowledge the real challenges and constraints on your time and energy.
This isn’t a “rah-rah” approach to ignore all the hard stuff. Recognize that it’s OK and NORMAL to feel this way. (Steve actually just wrote about the “Notice and Name” concept here.)
✅ Start with practice—not perfection.
Focus on a repeatable action (like a short strength session, or protein at two meals), not just the result you want. Think of it like practice. You won’t be perfect. You’ll make mistakes. And that’s all part of it.
✅ Create visual proof of your effort.
In our coaching program, clients check off tasks each day and we can see visible progress of their effort.
If you don’t have a coach, we love using something we call the Jar of Awesome:
Drop a marble (or paperclip, or coin) in a jar every time you do something aligned with your goals.
It’s a way to see your consistency and progress, even before the mirror or the scale reflects it.
✅ Celebrate the small wins.
You walked today?
Ate mindfully?
Skipped the all-or-nothing spiral after a rough day?
That’s a win worth acknowledging. The process leads to the result.
If you’re feeling stuck right now, or even hopeless, let’s see if we can flip the script.
We’ll start small. We’ll celebrate the effort.
And we’ll build that momentum back together.
You’ve got this.
And if you want help choosing your first “quick win,” just shoot me a message and I’ll help you find it.
– Coach Matt
