Last month, I wrote about the value of iteration – how real growth comes not from perfect planning, but from trying, failing, and adjusting as you go. That cycle – execute, evaluate, adapt – has become a cornerstone of how I approach nearly everything now: training, work, even writing these pieces.
But all the iteration in the world doesn’t matter if you don’t start.
This is now year two of my writing publicly about health, performance, and the gritty reality of self-improvement. And I still don’t feel entirely qualified or an expert. Some days I am a model of my own advice, other days I fall embarrassingly short. I’ve had races where I crushed my goals, and others where I didn’t even make it to the starting line. I’ve had streaks of discipline and long stretches of being stuck in my own head.
What’s kept me moving – in life, in the pool, and on the trail – is the decision to keep starting. Again and again.
The Myth of the Perfect Beginning
Most of us wait. We wait for the ideal week, the right mood, the new gear, the better weather. We romanticize the beginning: the blank slate, the fresh journal, the New Year’s clean break. But beginnings are rarely perfect. They’re usually uncomfortable, foggy, uncertain.
The truth is, the best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago. The second-best time is today. Not when things line up. Not when you’re motivated. Just today – with whatever you’ve got.
Change doesn’t happen when conditions are perfect. Change happens when we act despite imperfect conditions.
Alignment > Idealism
I recently came across a post that put it simply: “It all starts with you.” That’s not a motivational poster. It’s a reality check. The decisions you make today – what you eat, how you move, who you spend time with, what you consume mentally and emotionally – those are compounding investments in your future self.
You don’t need a grand overhaul. You just need to move in the direction of who you want to become. Not perfectly. Just consistently. Wash, rinse, repeat.
And that movement creates alignment. You start to feel better. You get stronger. You begin to see the right people, the right ideas, the right energy showing up around you. It’s not magic. It’s momentum.
Reflect and Reset: What Did You Learn Last Year?
Before you write out your next set of goals or start chasing that big audacious resolution, take stock of the one(s) you made last January. What held? What faded? What surprised you?
It’s not failure – it’s data.
We tend to treat last year’s forgotten goals like broken promises, something to feel ashamed about. Don’t. They’re simply messages about where your priorities, capacity, and energy were. Some of those goals may still be alive. Some may need to be released.
So reflect – not with judgment, but with curiosity.
Then revise the plan. Course correct. Use that feedback loop. The goal isn’t to win January. The goal is to build a system that is still working in July.
The Small Start Still Counts
If you don’t know where to begin, begin small. A walk instead of a run. An honest conversation instead of bottling it up. A pause before you react. A healthy meal, even if the rest of the day isn’t perfect.
That first step isn’t symbolic – it’s structural. It builds the foundation of every step that follows.
So if you’re waiting for the perfect time – stop. It’s already here.
It starts when you do.
