Yes, You Can Reach Your Goals Even When You Take Shortcuts
If you’ve always heard you should never take shortcuts, find out why that advice may not always be right! Find out how to reach your goals even with shortcuts!
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You Should Never Take Shortcuts, right?
You’ve heard it a thousand times:
“There are no shortcuts to success.”
Sure, it sounds noble. But for a lot of women I work with, that advice does more harm than good.
Because if you mess up just once — if you skip a workout, grab the damn chips, or hit snooze instead of lacing up your sneakers — your brain screams:
“Welp. You blew it. May as well start over Monday.”
And just like that, you’re off the wagon. Again.
Let’s fix that.
Real Talk: Most People Don’t Finish the Plan
Maybe you set a goal to finally get in shape.
You stock your fridge with “clean” food, banish the chips, buy the cute weights, and commit to that P-some-number-some-letter program that promises a new you in 90 days.
The first week? You’re on fire. Sore? Sure. But motivated. Focused. Crushing it.
Then Friday hits. Margaritas happen. Chips happen. Life happens.
And suddenly your brain starts whispering:
“Well, that didn’t go exactly as planned. Guess I’ll try again Monday…”
STOP RIGHT THERE.
This is exactly where most people give up — not because they’re lazy, but because they think if they can’t do it perfectly, they shouldn’t do it at all.
But guess what?
You Don’t Need to Do It Perfectly to Make Progress
Jon Acuff (whose book Finish is a must-read) calls this the “Might as Well” effect — and it’s one of the biggest reasons people abandon their goals.
- 📌Missed a workout? You might as well skip the rest of the week.
- 📌Ate half a pizza? You might as well throw in a tub of ice cream.
- 📌Had a setback? You might as well start completely over (again) on Monday.
That’s the perfectionist trap talking.
And it’s a lie.
Progress Is Built on Imperfect Steps Forward
You don’t need to follow every plan to the letter.
You don’t need to eat clean 100% of the time.
You don’t need to finish every program exactly as written.
What you do need is the willingness to keep going — especially when things don’t go perfectly.
That might mean:
- ➡️Taking a rest day when you didn’t plan one
- ➡️Modifying your workout instead of skipping it
- ➡️Starting again on Saturday instead of waiting for Monday
Shortcuts aren’t failures. They’re strategy. They’re you making it work for your life.
Give Yourself Permission to Do It Differently
You’re not failing when you adapt. You’re winning when you stay in the game.
You’re not behind. You’re building momentum — one messy, brave, totally human step at a time.
So take the shortcut if you need to.
And then keep going.
Want a Pep Talk That’ll Stick?
Print this and stick it on your mirror:
🖨️ Progress > Perfection.
Shortcuts don’t mean you quit. They mean you’re smart enough to stay in the game.
Need a little help getting started again?
💜 Grab Mind Over Habit – my free mini guide to thought shifts that actually stick.
