There’s something powerful about starting your week with a win.

When I hit “record” on this video, I wasn’t coaching the workout. I wasn’t standing on the sidelines encouraging everyone else. I was taking my own medicine. Just like everyone else, I had a 21-minute AMRAP waiting for me. There are plenty of Monday mornings when I’d rather ease into the week, but I’ve learned that those are the days that matter the most.

One of the sayings we’ve had around CrossFit Cleveland for years is, “Never miss a Monday.” It doesn’t mean you have to set a personal record every Monday or leave lying on the floor exhausted. It means showing up. It means beginning the week with a positive decision instead of putting it off until tomorrow. When you start Monday by doing something good for yourself, it changes the momentum of the rest of your week. One workout won’t transform your fitness overnight, but it reinforces the identity of someone who follows through.

Life has a way of throwing obstacles at us throughout the week. Meetings run late, kids have activities, vacations happen, motivation comes and goes. That’s exactly why Monday is so important. If you can put one win on the board before the week starts pulling you in a dozen different directions, you’re already ahead. Don’t worry about having a perfect week. Just start with one good decision. More often than not, that first decision makes the next one a whole lot easier.