2026: Start Strong, Stay Strong

There’s a reason New Year’s resolutions feel powerful: humans love a clean reset. There’s even a concept called the doorway effect — where when we cross a threshold or boundary into a new environment, our brains naturally “clear space” to take in what’s next. A new year can feel like that same boundary: a fresh room, a fresh start.

Around the end of the year, that “reset” turns into something deeper — an inflection point. Most of us want to be the best version of ourselves. We have an ambitious vision of what we could accomplish, even if we’re not sure how close we are yet. And no matter what the goal is, it usually comes down to two things: a clear vision, and the willingness to do the work.

Here’s what I want to challenge: we tend to wait for the “perfect” environment before we start.

We wait for the perfect schedule. The perfect motivation. The perfect weather. The perfect Monday. The perfect January 1st. And to be clear, there’s nothing “wrong” with starting when the timing feels clean. But you don’t need perfect conditions to begin becoming the person you want to be.

The best time to start was yesterday. The second best time is now.

And if you’re starting something new for 2026, here’s the part I want you to expect up front: bad days will happen.

Not because you’re doing it wrong. But because you’re human.

There will be days where it’s hard to get out of bed because it’s warm and comfortable. Days where a weight that once felt easy feels heavy. Days where you don’t have the energy you expected. That’s often the moment people quit — not because the goal isn’t worth it, but because they assume the struggle means they’re failing.

It doesn’t. The struggle is part of the process.

Your dream body, or any dream (a stronger body, a better job, a meaningful project, a new skill), is on the other side of doing the hard part consistently. The “secret” isn’t motivation. It’s showing up, especially after a day you didn’t want to.

So if you’re setting a goal for the new year, make this the goal underneath the goal: don’t let a bad day turn into quitting. Reset tomorrow. Show up again. And again. Over time, you’ll stack enough good days that your progress becomes undeniable.

I’m genuinely excited for 2026. I believe it’s going to be a year of growth for me personally, and a year of growth for Chavo, too. I’m still hard at work building, iterating, and making Chavo better, and I’d love for you to tag along for the journey. If you’re coming into this year with a goal, I’m rooting for you. Start now, stay consistent, and go crush it.