It Might Be Time to Go Home

Earlier this year, I set a goal to complete a series of five gravel bike races. My reasons were simple: I wanted something to keep me getting on the bike even when I didn't feel like it, I wanted to build my community of fellow cyclists (especially other women), and it's something I get to do with my husband, since it's how we met in the first place.

I've now completed four out of the five races, with the last one just around the corner. And looking back, I can honestly say the goal has delivered on all three fronts. I've shown up on my bike more often than not, I've deepened some really wonderful friendships, and my husband and I have genuinely enjoyed most of our rides and weekends away — even when it didn't feel fun in the moment!

But I'll also be honest about something else: I am really looking forward to spending less time on the bike and more time hiking and paddleboarding.

When "Go Hard or Go Home" Backfires

I've noticed something among some of my women friends who ride. They push hard, they keep going, and they rarely, if ever, let up — even when their bodies and minds are clearly exhausted. It doesn't look healthy. It doesn't look sustainable. And I don't think it's serving them.

We've all heard the phrase "go hard or go home." Or maybe the classic, "no pain, no gain."

Here's the thing though: if you've been going hard for a while, it might actually be time to go home. Maybe it's time for a rest day. Maybe it's time for some stretching or mobility work. Maybe it's time to just…breathe.

Your Body Isn't a Machine

Whether we're talking about physical activity or any other area of your life, there's something important to remember: everything has its season, and your body — and mind — isn't a machine.

Even when you're doing everything "right," your body is naturally cycling through phases: recovering, adapting, building, and preparing for the next thing. 

=Most of us only celebrate the obvious wins — the weight lost, the muscle gained, the personal records. And we tend to interpret the slower, quieter phases as failure. But those slower phases? They're not setbacks. They're essential.

Plateaus Are Part of the Process

If you feel like your progress has stalled lately, there are a few things that could actually be happening beneath the surface: Your body is adapting to the work you've already done, it's rebuilding strength, or your metabolism is being protected from slowing down. None of that is backsliding, and all of it is part of the process. In fact, plateaus can help your body find a new "setpoint" — a new center of balance from which to grow.

This applies to fitness goals, but it also applies to career goals, relationship goals, creative goals…really any area of life where you've been pushing hard.

What to Do in a Slower Season

So if you find yourself in one of those quieter phases, here's a simple question to ask yourself: What's the minimum I need to do this week to stay in the game? That might look like:

• A workout plan that helps you maintain what you’ve achieved
• A nutrition plan that gives your body enough of what it needs
• Fresh air and sunshine
• 7-8 hours of sleep a night
• Consistency

And here's the payoff: when your next growth phase kicks in, you'll actually have something left in the tank.

Progress Isn't Linear

Progress isn't linear. It never has been. But consistency through all of your seasons? That's what builds results that last. So whether your goals are physical, relational, career-related, or something else entirely, it's okay to back off a little. Just try to keep some kind of consistency going. Stay in the game, even if you're playing it quietly for a while.