BOUNCING BACK
“It does not matter how deep you fall, what matters is how high you bounce back” ~Author Unknown
QUITTER’S DAY
The second Friday in January is often referred to as “Quitter’s Day”. The term “Quitter’s Day” surfaced in 2019 as part of statistical data from the Strava fitness app that showed how a significant number of users’ activity levels begin to drop around this time. Although the exact percentages of “quitters” vary depending on the survey methodology being used, the general statistical consensus is that approximately 80% of people abandon their resolutions within the first month.
Some of the reasons that healthcare professionals have cited for people abandoning their New Year’s resolutions include: (1) setting unrealistic goals (2) lack of support and (3) trying to live up to trendy societal expectations. Consequently, given the alarming “Quitter’s Day” statistics, it is easy to question how one can begin to “bounce back” from a “Quitter’s Day” mindset in order to achieve their goals.
Beyond one’s efforts of trying to recover from abandoning their New Year’s resolutions, there are also many other areas in our lives that we may be desiring to “Bounce Back” from which requires one to focus more on having a growth mindset.
DETERMINING YOUR “WHY”
“The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why” by Mark Twain
According to data from Statista.com, at the top of the list for 2026 New Year’s resolutions was to exercise more. However, although priorities can shift, historically personal fitness goals have continued to be a long standing trend which is often reflected in increased gym attendance during the month of January.
Some years ago, I worked as a personal trainer and group fitness instructor. During one of my coaching meetings with my fitness director, I remember being told to always try to determine the reason “why” a client wants to get in shape. For example, are they desiring to lose weight prior to getting married, are they losing weight to improve their overall health or are they trying to lose weight to prevent certain health conditions. Since my training days, I have since learned that, “ the why” engages deeper brain systems which helps to keep a person more anchored and committed rather than simply relying on bursts of motivations that are short-lived.
GIVING YOURSELF GRACE
“The difference between a strong man and a weak one is that the former does not give up after a defeat.” – Woodrow Wilson
“A book and the sun, everything else just works out” by sapheron is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. (giving yourself so grace)…
“Three Feet from Gold” is a short story popularized by Napoleon Hill in his all-time classic book, “Think and Grow Rich”. The story is about a gold miner who gave up too soon even though he was just short of striking gold. The core message of the story is that people often give up too soon despite being moments away from their breakthrough.
As you set out on your personal mission to pursue your goals, it is important to accept the reality that you are likely going to face some potentially challenging moments. However, it’s also important to remember not to allow yourself to become permanently discouraged by these challenges. Rather, choose to take time to refocus and start afresh.
RESOURCES:
https://www.ptpioneer.com/statistics/gym-membership-statistics
https://today.yougov.com/society/articles/53789-americans-new-years-resolutions-2026-poll
https://www.bcm.edu/news/new-years-resolutions-why-do-we-give-up-on-them-so-quickly
Join me, Renna on Friday from 4am-6am for a very inspiring musical journey about various important and intriguing topics related to this article. Remember that if you miss the live program, you can always listen to the weekly program for up to 7 days on the archives at https://www.wmnf.org/events/morning-energy/.
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