Setbacks are expected, and slumps are inevitable. This is something I remind myself of daily, because let’s be honest, I’ve had my fair share of both—especially whenever I start making progress in—well, pretty much anything.
Over time, I’ve come to understand the truth behind the saying, “Those who don’t learn from the past are doomed to repeat it.”
When I reflect on my own experiences, I realize how often I’ve repeated similar mistakes, simply because I forgot the lessons I’d learned before. It’s not that I didn’t learn; it’s that I didn’t retain those lessons in the
moments when I needed them most.
To give you a specific example, I’ve been into fitness on and off since high school. I’ve tried everything—from HIIT classes to martial arts, power lifting, and CrossFit. Every time, I’ve seen relative success in some form, but eventually, life gets in the way. The intensity wanes, excuses creep in, and my fitness routine drops to near non-existence. All that hard work feels like it goes down the drain only for me to have to start over.
Though muscle loss and fat gain might seem like the end of the world, in the grand scheme of things, each time I’ve experienced this, I realized I took something from the experience every time. And I try to use those lessons in the next round of attention I give to my body.
This time, however, I’ve taken a different approach to things. My focus is no longer on short-term results tied to vanity. Yes, aesthetics are nice. It’s a great feeling when you see results in the mirror—a testament to your dedication over a period of time. But I’ve decided to shift my focus to longevity—for both my body and mind, something I’ve come to prioritize more as I get older.
Now, my fitness approach is centered around functional strength. I focus on daily stretching and building my bodyweight strength with calisthenics, working the areas of my body I’ve neglected. This time, I’m working on thinking in the long-term—slow and steady wins the race when it comes to building self-discipline. I know that if I don’t keep my body moving regularly, I’m only setting myself up for failure in terms of long-term health. With this mindset, I’ve given myself grace because I know not every day will allow me to give 100%. Life rarely goes as planned, and as a human, I’ve had to come to terms with my lack of self-discipline that put me in previous slumps.
To continue from earlier, I had issues with my lower back from sitting at a desk for work and gaming. I feared those problems would stick with me for life, and I knew if I didn’t take action now, they would. That’s when I realized I needed to change how I viewed my body. So, I focused on gradual improvement, appreciating the small steps of progress I’ve made along the way.
Enter Kaizen: small, continuous changes instead of obsessing over immediate results. I’ve had days when I didn’t work out at all or light stretching and mobility work, but I’ve learned to embrace my imperfections and give myself grace during those times.
Progress, not perfection, should be the goal—slowly weaning myself off the need for immediate gratification that so often dictates our actions in today’s world. I want to be functionally strong, and that means being consistent—even when motivation fades.
I can say I haven’t completely learned from my past nor have I rid myself of all my imperfections, but I will continue making small steps toward better, since that’s all any of us can do.
Take a moment and think about your own life. Can you recall a time when you’ve faced similar struggles? Maybe with dieting, studying, learning a new skill, or work—anything where motivation quickly fades for whatever reason.
Those are the moments when slumps sneak in, and setbacks become even more pronounced, when you feel lost.
But here’s the truth: it’s only through consistency, even during the lows, that we can continue to grow and improve—that’s how you build spiritual strength to handle life as it comes.
As I said in the beginning, setbacks are expected, and slumps are inevitable. You’re only human—you’re imperfect by design—so don’t be too hard on
yourself. What really matters is how you handle yourself during those downtimes and how quickly you can get back to it.
You experience a setback or slump because you’re attempting something new, and for that alone, I’m proud of you. Don’t let yourself get discouraged from getting what you want, because you deserve to get what you want, as long as you’re willing to work for it.
So, whenever motivation dips, remember that it’s not about being perfect—it’s about making small, steady progress. That’s how we overcome setbacks and continue to move forward.
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