Learning Non-Negotiable 20™

Some of the best workouts don’t look like workouts at all. This past weekend, a group of friends traded their usual networking and social events for pickleball paddles and a little friendly competition. The turnout was wonderful. The competition was spirited, the laughs were plentiful, and the sense of community was as strong as ever.

Rocky terrain. Rock scrambling. Elevation on the way up, and just as tough coming down. Little sleep. Full sun. A heavy pack. It was hard. I was quieter than usual, conserving energy, determined to finish strong.

Most fitness plans fail for a reason nobody wants to say out loud: they ask for too much. An hour at the gym means clean workout clothes, drive time, a shower afterward — suddenly a “workout” costs two hours. On a busy day, that’s impossible. On a travel day, it’s a logistical nightmare. So you skip. And once you skip once, skipping twice gets much easier.

On December 31, 2022, I made a personal decision: I was going to do some kind of physical fitness every single day.

On September 26th, I reached a milestone that still blows me away: 1,000 consecutive days of working out.