Don't Slash the Other 3 Tires

Have you ever started adding a new positive habit into your life (maybe you finally started working out, eating better, reading more) and then almost immediately, life throws one of its famous curve balls and knocks you off track?

Yeah. Same.

It’s crazy how the universe works sometimes.

You could be a month, a week, or even one day into your new routine… and suddenly life happens. Something breaks, something derails your schedule, or something stressful demands your attention, and just like that, you miss the new habit.

Sound familiar?

That’s because it happens to everyone sooner or later.

And it’s exactly why adding new habits is so hard. Not because you’re not trying hard enough, but because conditions are never going to be perfect.

We have to learn to expect that.

The real trap isn’t that you miss a workout or grab fast food once.
It’s what happens next.

So many people fall into the “screw it” mentality.

You know the one- where if you can’t do it perfectly, you feel like it’s not worth doing at all. So you abandon the goal altogether.

Here’s a real-life example:

Let’s say you’ve been eating really well for a couple of weeks. You’re proud of the progress you’re making.

Then your washer breaks.

Now you have to go to the laundromat after work. You don’t have time to cook, so you grab fast food. You’re frustrated, tired, and stressed… and you say, “Screw it.” You justify the fries. Then dessert. And maybe a drink too.

You don’t sleep as well because of the stress.
You wake up late.
You skip breakfast.
You grab a donut instead of anything remotely nutritious.
And just like that, your routine is gone.

All because of one off moment.

Here’s the reality:

This mindset,  the “screw it” spiral, is the same as getting a flat tire on your car, then slashing the other three tires because one went flat.

It sounds ridiculous, but it’s exactly what we do when we abandon a goal just because we hit a bump in the road.

What’s the solution?

Expect the chaos.
Expect the interruptions.
Expect life to not go perfectly.

If you walk into your new habit knowing there will be bumps, you’re way more likely to recover quickly instead of quitting completely.

Let’s go back to the example.

If your washer goes out and you don’t have time to cook, and you end up grabbing fast food,  okay. That’s real life. That’s one flat tire.

You can still choose a better option next time. You can still take care of yourself the next day. You can still get back to your plan once the dust settles.

You don’t have to be perfect (nobody is by the way) You just have to keep going.

So today’s reminder is simple:

 Expect chaos.
Don’t slash the other three tires.
And make the next best choice you can, then keep moving forward.

That’s how real change happens. Not by doing everything right, but by sticking with it when things go sideways.