He had a rule: “Getting to the top is optional. Getting down is mandatory.”

That decision saved his life. And he still went on to summit Everest six times.

The point?
Winners aren’t just the ones who push through at all costs. They’re the ones who know when to walk away.

So why is it so hard to quit a fitness plan, a diet, or a routine—even when we know it’s not working?

We’ve been taught that quitting is failure.
But what if it’s the exact opposite?

Every year around this time, I start hearing the same thing from people: “I’ll be ready in January. That’s when I’ll really get going.”

After years of coaching, I can tell you exactly how that plays out. The people who wait almost always keep waiting. January turns into February. Then “after spring break.” Then “when summer slows down.” Waiting has a way of multiplying.

But the people who start before the new year? They’re different. They show up now, while things are messy, while schedules are busy, while the holidays are looming. By the time January arrives, they’ve already built a habit. They have momentum. They’re confident. And instead of scrambling to become their “best self” overnight, they’ve been willing to be imperfect—and that’s why they succeed.

Philosopher Ryan Holiday calls this the difference between dead time and alive time. Dead time is waiting around, letting the days slip by. Alive time is using the moment you have—even if it isn’t perfect—to learn, grow, and move forward.

So here’s the question: with fewer than 100 days left in the year, will you let them pass as dead time—or will you use them as alive time?

In 2008, just days before the Beijing Olympics, Usain Bolt was sick, his hamstring was still bothering him, and his training was far from perfect.

But he didn’t wait for the “perfect time.” In the middle of less-than-ideal circumstances, he ran the race of his life—breaking the world record and changing sprinting forever.

Here’s the truth: you face the same battle every day. Not in front of millions, but in the quiet moments when life feels too busy, when injuries nag, or when motivation dips. Do you wait for the right conditions, or do you move forward in the middle of the mess?

👉 That choice is the difference between “someday” and success.

Here’s the truth: most bathroom body fat scales aren’t very accurate. If you compared them to a lab test like a DEXA scan, the numbers probably wouldn’t match. Some days the reading might even change just because you drank more water or ate a salty meal. On the surface, that sounds like a deal-breaker. Why would anyone buy a tool that isn’t precise?

Here’s a secret from the world of archery that makes the difference clear.