The best workout is the one you actually do
I struggled to get myself to the gym.
It’s a classic trap, and I suspect many of us can relate to it. My sister was one of them, too. But she used to tell me:
The best workout is the one you actually do.
Her words have stuck with me ever since she first told me.
They’ve helped me adjust the bar when I’ve felt resistance to going. Instead of telling myself I need to have a proper workout, I can think:
I’ll just hop on the bike for a few minutes. Then I can reward myself with a nice long shower and a sauna afterwards.
That’s enough.
I’ve gone to the gym 136 times in the last 12 months, and roughly 14 times in the last 30 days.
What’s interesting is that once I get on that bike, it becomes easier to do a little more. One thing tends to lead to another. The bike becomes some weights, the weights become a few more exercises, and before I know it I’ve had a proper workout.
But that’s almost beside the point.
The real trick is giving yourself permission to do enough.
You don’t have to do the perfect workout. You don’t even have to do a particularly good workout. You just have to make it easy enough to start.
And once you start, you might do more than you expected.
The best workout is the one you actually do.
I really do think my sister’s words have helped me with consistency. Not by making me more disciplined, but by making the threshold for action lower.
And I think the same principle applies far beyond the gym.
Doing the dishes. Cleaning the house. Running a boring errand. Writing a few sentences when you don’t feel like writing.
Sometimes the most useful question isn’t “What would be ideal?”
It’s simply:
“What’s enough to get started?”
You don't need to commit to doing a lot. You need to give yourself permission to do enough.