It’s Okay to Suck… But It’s Not Okay to Skip
There’s an idea my wife shared with me recently that hasn’t left my mind.
The more I’ve thought about it, the more I’ve realized how powerful it is—not just for fitness or productivity, but for career growth, creativity, and habit-building as a whole.
The idea is simple:
It’s okay to suck… but it’s not okay to skip.
I don’t know who originally said it. I’m not claiming it as my own.
But I am saying this: it’s one of the most effective habit-building ideas I’ve ever used.
And it’s quietly changed how I approach my work, my health, and this podcast.
Where This Idea Hit Me
For most of my life, I did the opposite.
If I couldn’t do something well, I wouldn’t do it at all.
- If I couldn’t go to the gym for an hour, I just wouldn’t go
- If I couldn’t record the perfect podcast episode, I wouldn’t record
- If I couldn’t make real progress, I told myself it wasn’t worth starting
And honestly?
That mindset kept me stuck.
For months, I’d reach the end of the week and think:
- “Man, I should’ve done more.”
- “Where did all that time go?”
- “Next week I’ll get back on track.”
Monday would come. Motivation would hit.
By Tuesday—or Wednesday if I was lucky—I’d fall right back into old habits.
“Not doing it perfectly” became my excuse for doing nothing at all.
Maybe you’ve been there too.
That Monday-morning promise that this week will be different… followed by a Tuesday that looks exactly like last Tuesday.
That’s when this idea kept coming back:
It’s okay to suck… but it’s not okay to skip.
What This Looked Like in My Real Life
The first place I applied this was exercise.
There were days I had zero energy.
No desire to lift. No motivation for a 45-minute workout.
And for a long time, that meant I did nothing.
But now?
- If I only have 15 minutes, I do 15 minutes
- If I can’t hit the weight I want, I use lighter weight
- If I’m dragging, I just get my heart rate up
And you know what?
It works.
Showing up—even when you’re not at your best—keeps the habit alive.
Skipping entirely is what kills it.
The same thing applies to this podcast.
Some days recording feels overwhelming.
Some days I’m exhausted after work.
Some days life just gets busy.
But if I can sit down and talk for 10 minutes?
That’s better than skipping a week… or a month… or an entire season.
Consistency—even sloppy consistency—is far more powerful than perfection.
Why Consistency Is So Hard (And It’s Not Laziness)
We tend to think we’re lazy.
We beat ourselves up.
We assume we lack discipline or motivation.
But a lot of this comes down to one thing: inertia.
Objects in motion stay in motion.
Objects at rest stay at rest.
Think about pushing a giant boulder up a hill.
Getting it moving is brutal. That first push takes everything.
But once it’s rolling—even slowly—you don’t need heroic effort anymore.
You just need small, steady pushes to keep it going.
Habits work the same way.
- Skip a day? Momentum slows
- Skip a week? Momentum stops
- Skip long enough? Momentum reverses
That’s why getting back into the gym after a month feels impossible.
Or restarting a business idea after a year feels overwhelming.
It’s not because you’re weak.
It’s not because you’re lazy.
It’s because momentum died.
And momentum is one of the most underrated tools in personal development.
Why “Sucking” Is Actually a Superpower
Here’s the truth most people don’t want to admit:
Most people never build long-term habits because they don’t allow themselves to be bad at things.
We’re surrounded by polished results:
- Perfect bodies
- Perfect routines
- Perfect careers
- Perfect content
But every person you admire spent years being bad at something.
Your favorite runner had days they barely jogged a mile.
Your favorite creator posted content they now cringe at.
Every author wrote pages that never made it into the book.
They all sucked.
But they didn’t skip.
That’s the difference.
When you give yourself permission to be bad, you remove the biggest mental barrier to starting.
And once you start—even imperfectly—you build momentum.
Momentum leads to consistency.
Consistency leads to progress.
Progress leads to confidence.
And confidence leads to real change.
How to Apply This (Practically)
Here are a few simple ways to put this idea into action:
1. Set a Minimum Daily Standard
Make the habit so small it’s almost impossible to skip.
- Want to read more? Commit to 1 page
- Want to write? Commit to 5 minutes (even voice notes count)
- Want to exercise? Commit to 10 minutes
- Want to build a side project? Commit to one small task
Small isn’t weak.
Small keeps the boulder moving.
2. Separate Performance From Consistency
A great workout and a completed workout are not the same thing.
Some days are for performance.
Some days are just for maintenance.
Both count.
3. Track “Don’t Skip” Days
Use a calendar, habit tracker, or checklist.
Every day you show up—even if it’s messy—mark it.
Visual streaks are powerful motivators.
4. Redefine Success
Success isn’t being amazing.
Success is showing up.
Day after day.
Making small adjustments over time.
If you show up, you win.
If you skip, you don’t.
It really is that simple.
5. Focus on Identity, Not Outcomes
Daily action changes how you see yourself.
- I’m someone who works out
- I’m someone who creates
- I’m someone who builds
- I’m someone who keeps promises to myself
Identity keeps habits alive long after motivation fades.
What This Means for Your Career
Careers aren’t built in giant leaps.
They’re built through small, consistent actions:
- Learning skills
- Networking
- Building a portfolio
- Applying for roles
- Improving communication
- Following curiosity
Some days, progress looks like sending one email.
Or reading one chapter.
Or practicing one skill for 10 minutes.
You’d be amazed how far showing up while sucking can take you in a few months.
Final Thought
This idea isn’t about lowering your standards.
It’s about raising your consistency.
Progress over perfection.
Discipline over dopamine.
Momentum over procrastination.
What I’ve noticed in my own life is simple:
The more consistent I become, the easier things get.
Workouts feel easier.
Editing improves.
Recording feels more natural.
Consistency creates confidence.
If there’s something you want to do—start a project, learn a skill, improve your health, grow your career—give yourself permission to begin messy, slow, awkward, and unpolished.
Because once you start moving, and you refuse to skip, life starts changing.
Not overnight.
But inevitably.
Show up today—even if you suck.
That’s how momentum starts.
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