Every athlete, every human, hits a wall. Not the satisfying “I left it all out there” kind of wall. The other one. The “what’s the point,” “why does my body feel like a betrayal,” or “I’m so far from where I was” wall.
You’ve been there. Maybe you’re there right now.
And if you’re tired of being told to “just keep going” or “manifest your goals” with zero tools for the reality of your current life, let me introduce you to something far more useful: ultrarealism.
It’s not about pretending everything’s fine. It’s about seeing things clearly, choosing to keep going anyway, and actually getting stronger because of it. This mindset is what Matt Fitzgerald breaks down in The Comeback Quotient—and it’s what I’ve translated into a 30-day real-life plan you can start right now.
If you’re ready to stop waiting for the perfect time and start working with what you’ve got, this one’s for you.
The 3 Comeback Skills You’ll Build
Over the next 30 days, you’ll develop:
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Clarity – Facing your current reality without judgment.
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Acceptance – Choosing your situation without resistance.
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Adaptability – Working with it to move forward, not back.
No perfection required. Just progress.
Week 1: Face It
Because denial is exhausting and truth clears the path.
This week is about getting honest—not harsh. You’re not falling behind. You’re getting clear.
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Audit 3 Recent Setbacks: What happened and what did you actually feel? No edits. Just honesty.
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Write Out Your Starting Point: Physically, emotionally, schedule-wise. This is your real-life baseline.
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Name What You're Avoiding: Is it running slower than you used to? Strength training? Recovery? Your own expectations?
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Drop the “I’m fine” Reflex: Say the real thing, even if it’s just in your journal.
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Ask Yourself Daily: “What am I resisting right now?”
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Pick One Micro Goal That Makes You Uncomfortable: Start messy. It counts.
Objection addressed: “I don’t have time to overhaul everything right now.”
Reframe: You don’t need an overhaul. You need a flashlight. This week gives you one.
Week 2: Embrace It
Hard doesn’t mean wrong. It means meaningful.
You don’t have to love the struggle. But you do need to accept that it’s yours—and that there’s something in it for you.
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Reframe the Hard Stuff: Practice turning “This sucks” into “This is my training ground.”
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Gratitude for the Grit: List 3 ways your current challenge is shaping you.
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Clarify Your “Why Now”: Why are you choosing to show up, even on the tough days?
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Feel It, Don’t Flee It: When frustration hits, sit with it for 5 minutes. That’s strength training for your nervous system.
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Add One Recovery Habit: Not to fix you—to care for you.
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Celebrate One Tiny Win Daily: Momentum starts here.
Objection addressed: “I don’t feel motivated lately.”
Reframe: Motivation is overrated. Choosing to keep going? That’s power.
Week 3: Work With It
You’re not fragile. You’re flexible.
This is the week where it clicks. Where progress stops being linear and starts being real.
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Use the “Even Though” Reframe: Even though [x], I still showed up and did [y].
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Adapt Intentionally: Swap or shorten a workout based on capacity, not guilt.
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Prioritize Process Over Ego: Let one metric go this week (pace, mileage, anything).
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Plan Like a Real Human: Create a flexible “most important actions” list, not a rigid schedule.
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Do One Thing You’ve Been Avoiding: Action dissolves dread.
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Check Your Storyline: Are you narrating as the underdog or the burnout?
Emotional trigger used: Self-compassion meets boldness. You’re not here to be coddled—but you do deserve to be supported.
Week 4: Make It Stick
This is your bounce-forward moment.
The point isn’t to go back to who you were before the setback. It’s to become the version of you that knows what to do next time.
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Look Back with Curiosity: What surprised you about this month? What worked?
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Keep What Served You: Choose 2 new habits or tools that felt energizing or helpful.
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Spot Your Comeback Pattern: What did you default to—and what did you shift?
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Write a Comeback Mantra: Example: “I don’t need ideal conditions to make progress.”
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Choose Your Next Move: Pick one goal or intention to carry forward into the next month.
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Document Your Growth: A voice note, a post, a journal entry. Name your progress.
Want the Checklist Version?
I’ve turned this into a downloadable 1-pager you can print or save to your phone.
Grab the 30-Day Comeback Checklist here.
Need More Than a Checklist?
If you want coaching support to help make your next comeback stick—for good—I’ve got space for a few more athletes in my roster. I work with people who are navigating:
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Big life transitions (like menopause or injury recovery)
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Training inconsistencies that keep derailing confidence
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The mental load of starting over (again)
You don’t need a comeback plan that’s pretty. You need one that works.
See my coaching and training plan options here.
You don’t need to wait until you feel better to begin. The act of beginning is often what starts the feeling.
Let’s rebuild—realistically, boldly, and one decision at a time.