Stop Pouring Into a Leaky Bucket
Originally shared November 14, 2024 in the Naked Sunday Newsletter. Adapted for the journal.
Are you working your ass off but still feel stuck?
Like you’re busting it every day, but the progress just isn’t there? Feels like you’re pouring water into a bucket full of holes?
If you’re aiming to reach the next level of success, this might hit home.
The other day at the gym, I was chatting with a woman I’ve become friends with—she and her husband are regulars. She was dealing with chronic back pain, especially when lifting. I offered her some tips, but she resisted. Her main concern was staying strong as she gets older, but she wasn’t willing to back off or focus on other aspects like core strength and mobility.
Here’s the thing: I’ve coached thousands of clients in the fitness world (remember, I used to own a couple of gyms), and I’ve seen this pattern over and over—people pushing their bodies to the limit, ignoring pain signals, and eventually hitting a wall.
I asked her, “What if you get hurt so badly you can’t work out at all?” Then I said, “You’re just filling a leaky bucket.”
And that got me thinking—how many of us are working our asses off but not getting anywhere because we’re ignoring the real issues that are preventing us from reaching that next level of success?
We pour time, energy, and resources into something without fixing the underlying problems. Eventually, the cracks widen, and everything collapses.
This isn’t just about fitness.
In finances, some people make good money but spend themselves into oblivion, living paycheck to paycheck because they’re not willing to adjust their lifestyle. They wonder why they can’t build wealth or achieve financial freedom.
In relationships, people take their partners for granted, assuming they’ll always be there—until one day, the empty gestures stop working. They can’t understand why they can’t find deeper connection or fulfillment.
In personal growth and career, we chase one achievement after another without addressing the inner doubts or fears holding us back. We hit a plateau and can’t seem to break through to the next level.
If the foundation isn’t solid, the whole system collapses.
So where does this “crush yourself,” “grind your face off,” “no pain, no gain” attitude come from?
It served you at one point—maybe when you were in survival mode. The old version of you needed that hustle to get here.
But here’s the kicker: What got you here won’t get you to the next level.
Ironically, you need to do less, but better.
Working harder on the same things—often just a way to compare yourself to others or your old self—is distracting you from addressing the weaknesses that are holding you back from that next level of success.
You have to check your ego and give yourself permission to take a small step back so you can make big strides forward.
It’s time to stop pouring water into a leaky bucket. Let’s patch those holes, strengthen your foundation, and break through to the next level of success together.
Related reflections
Until next time…
Love. Every. Body.
