7 Thoughts to Overcome Quitter’s Day

(and the 11 habits that will yield the highest ROI in 2025):

Author

Eric Hinman
January 09, 2025

read time: 6 minutes 

Welcome to The Movement Memo, a bi-weekly newsletter where I share actionable tips to help you live your best day ever, every day.

Today's Programming 

Today's Movement 

Compete as a 20-minute EMOM (every minute on the minute):

  • 15 cal row

  • 14 burpees

  • 250 m run

  •  50 double unders

People often track the wrong metrics.

Today's Quote

“The best way to predict your future is to create it.”

– Abraham Lincoln


Your future isn’t something you wait for—it’s something you build, one step at a time.

Every choice you make today shapes the person you’ll be tomorrow. Quitter’s Day doesn’t have to define you; it’s just a page in your story. Greatness isn’t handed to you—it’s created through habits, focus, and resilience.

So pick up the pen, and choose to write the next chapter of your success.

Today's Lesson Learned:

7 Thoughts to Overcome Quitter’s Day

It’s two weeks into the New Year. You started strong, but now life feels busy.

Motivation is fading, and the goals you set on January 1st feel a little less exciting. You’re not alone. In fact, the second Friday in January has become known as Quitter’s Day—the day most people give up on their resolutions.

It’s a milestone, but not the one you want.

Here’s the truth: Quitter’s Day doesn’t have to define you.

Every hero in every great story faces a moment where quitting feels like the easiest option. But it’s what you do in that moment that defines everything. I’ve been there, too.

I’ve faced my own version of Quitter’s Day countless times.

But each time, I’ve learned something that helped me push through. Today, I want to share 7 lessons to help you keep going.

Lesson #1: Build Habits for the Future You

Imagine yourself five years from now.

You’ve built a thriving career, maybe started a family, and are navigating all the complexities of adult life. It’s busy, overwhelming, and rewarding—but only because you’re prepared for it. Here’s the thing: the habits you build today will shape the person you become tomorrow. 

If you wait for the “perfect time” to start, that time will never come.

I used to struggle with consistency, but one exercise changed my perspective: I wrote down the habits of the person I wanted to become.

It wasn’t about who I was at the time—it was about who I aspired to be.

Here are the 11 habits that will yield the highest ROI in 2025: 

1. Morning workout.

2. Sauna + cold exposure with community.

3. Build a personal brand—share something meaningful daily.

4. Meet one new person every day.

5. Eat single-ingredient foods.

6. Sleep 8 hours.

7. Save at least 10% of your income. Invest it.

8. Time block—prioritize what matters.

9. Outdoor exercise.

10. Create memorable experiences for others.

11. Be kind.

Action Step: Write down the one habit you want to build this year. If you did this at the start of the year, write it down again and recommit. 

Lesson #2: Focus Is the Cheat Code

Once you’ve built a foundation of habits, the next step is focus.

Without focus, even the best habits will scatter in every direction. Last week, I spoke with a friend who recently sold his healthcare business for life-changing money. His secret?

Relentless focus.

Here’s the advice he gave me:

  1. Specialize in one thing.

  2. Become a thought leader in a narrow space.

  3. Focus on offering value where there’s a high return on time invested.

This isn’t flashy advice, but it’s powerful.

Many of the most successful people I know didn’t succeed because they did it all. They succeeded because they doubled down on what mattered most.

Action Step: Ask yourself, What are the ten things that matters most right now? Write them down, circle the one on the top and cross out everything else.

Lesson #3: Just Think About the Next Mile

Even with focus, there will be moments when the path forward feels impossible.

That’s when this lesson matters most: Just think about the next mile. During my first Ironman, I hit a wall halfway through the marathon. I had already swum 2.4 miles and biked 112, and now my legs felt like lead. The finish line seemed impossibly far.

So I stopped thinking about the finish line.

Instead, I focused on the next mile.

I broke the race into tiny, manageable pieces: one telephone pole, one aid station, one sip of Coke. Each tiny win gave me a burst of energy to keep moving. Life works the same way.

When your goals feel overwhelming, shrink them down.

Focus on the next step. Then the next. Progress is built moment by moment.

Lesson #4: Redefine Success Over Time

When you reflect on your journey, you’ll realize something surprising: your definition of success evolves.

In my 20s, I chased external validation—nice suits, expensive wine, barhopping every weekend. I thought I had it all. But looking back, those years were hollow.

Now, in my 40s, success looks different.

I value deep conversations, outdoor adventures, and hosting small gatherings with friends and family. The energy I used to waste, I now channel into building a life that feels meaningful.

However, the financial decisions I made in my 20s laid the foundation for this life:

• Built a business with recurring revenue.

• Maxed out a SEP IRA annually.

• Quit drinking, gaining energy and clarity.

• Adopted social media early.

• Surrounded myself with inspiring, forward-thinking people.

Action Step: Take a moment to reflect. How do you define success today, and how might it evolve in the future? How can your actions today set you up for tomorrow? 

Lesson #5: Relationships Are Everything

If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s this: relationships are the true currency of success.

Fifteen years ago, I committed to meeting one new person every day. Whether over coffee, a sauna session, or a quick chat, I built a network that transformed my life. Think about this:

365 days × 15 years = 5,475 relationships.

When you add value to others without expecting anything in return, opportunities find their way back to you.

Lesson #6: Compound Growth Is the Key

The power of small, consistent actions is like planting seeds that grow into a forest.

Here’s a question I think about every time I make a big decision: Would you take $1,000,000 today or a penny that doubles every day for 30 days? 

By Day 30, that penny becomes over $5 million. 

This is the power of compounding. Small, consistent actions in finances, relationships, or personal growth lead to exponential results over time.

Lesson #7: Endurance Is Everything

Success isn’t about motivation—it’s about endurance.

Motivation fades, but consistency carries you through. Think of life as a book. You can’t write every chapter at once, but you can focus on writing this one well. 

The future will come when it’s time.

Rewrite Your Quitter’s Day

Here’s the truth: Quitter’s Day isn’t the end of your story—it’s the moment where you decide what kind of hero you’ll be.

You’re standing at a crossroads. You can let Quitter’s Day define you, or you can choose to keep going. Each small step, each habit, each connection you make will bring you closer to the person you’re meant to become.

The decision is yours.

So take the next step. Write your story. And remember, the hero of every great story is the one who didn’t quit.

Today’s YouTube:

Today’s Optimization

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How to Incorporate LMNT into Your Day:

Morning Boost: Start your day with LMNT to replenish electrolytes lost overnight and kickstart your hydration.

During Workouts: Keep a bottle of LMNT-infused water during your exercise to maintain peak performance and prevent cramps.

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Evening Routine: Incorporate LMNT into your evening routine to ensure restful sleep and prevent nighttime leg cramps.

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Publisher: Eric Hinman

Editor-in-chief: Bobby Ryan