I failed at push-ups..
Hi lovely members!
I joined a push-up challenge during the month of February, and I need to be honest with you about how it went..
Now, I’m not a big fan of push-ups, but I was excited to challenge myself.
And for the first few days, I was consistent. I showed up. 63 push-ups to start with? Sure! 75 on day 2? Let’s go! I ticked the boxes. I felt strong and disciplined, and even quite impressed with myself.
And hey, let’s be honest.. I didn’t always hit the full goal for the day, but I tried and came close enough! 💪
Then around day four, I completely hit a “nope!” The goal was 100 push-ups and I thought “Whaaat?! That’s impossible!”
And here’s what I noticed: on the days the target was around 80 or less push-ups, I was willing to try. Even if I didn’t hit 80, it still felt achievable. Manageable. Like something I could break up into smaller sets of 10-20 at a time, getting me as close to the goal as possible.
But on the days the challenge jumped to 100+ push-ups? I didn’t even want to start.
Not even “this is tough, but I’ll try.”
More like, “NOPE! Absolutely not.”
🤔 Isn’t that interesting?
The bigger goal didn’t inspire me. It discouraged me. It felt heavy before I’d even lowered myself to the floor. And instead of motivating me, it created pressure.
And I think this is such a reflection of how we’re living.
We think discipline means “every single day without fail.” We already live with full calendars, full inboxes, and full brains. Adding an every single day goal on top can feel like just one more demand.
That’s why something also clicked for me during the push-up challenge, and in comparing this to our recent short series on Patreon.
Instead of aiming for every day, what if we aim for 7 days — spread out?
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Non-consecutive.
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Short bursts.
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Manageable.
It worked so beautifully in my recent 7-day Back to Groove Mini Series. We did short 10–15 minute workouts at a time, spread out over 2 weeks. Short. Focused. Enough to get back into movement without overwhelming your mind and your nervous system.
People showed up because it felt possible. And that’s the magic word: possible.
And that’s also the key, isn’t it?
Possible > perfect.
☝️ That’s definitely something I struggle with!
The push-up challenge has come to an end… and I’m not going to pretend I smashed it. 😆 I really struggled to stay motivated. I skipped days. I noped it like a toddler about to hit a tantrum.
So, here’s your reminder (and mine):
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Smaller goals build momentum.
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Non-consecutive days still count.
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Short sessions still work.
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Pressure kills motivation.
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Showing up imperfectly is better than not starting at all.
And if you didn’t get to it today, you can always try again tomorrow (or the next non-consecutive day 😉).
So here’s a take-away for the days and weeks to come:
If you’re struggling to stay consistent with something right now — movement, work, creativity — make it a 7-day goal. Break it into bite-sized pieces. Set smaller goals that feel achievable.
Because once something feels achievable, we’re much more likely to begin.
And beginning, over and over again, is what actually builds strength.
Thanks for being here and being part of this journey with me. I’m in it too — push-ups, pep talks, and all.
Let’s keep showing up (just not necessarily every single day).
With love, slightly sore arms, and humbled by failed challenges
Bonita
PS: Keen to try the 7-day Back to Groove series? (non-consecutive, at your own pace of course!)
