Why "Never Miss a Monday" Is Holding You Back (And What to Do Instead)
The All-or-Nothing Trap
Raise your hand if you’ve ever thought, “I missed Monday, my whole week is ruined.” Guilty? Me too. For years, I spiraled whenever I couldn’t hit a Monday workout. I thought the week was doomed until I could “get back on track.”
Many fitness mantras like “Never Miss a Monday” sound motivating, but often promote an all-or-nothing mindset. This way of thinking paints the world in extremes: success or failure, perfect or ruined. Miss one workout, and suddenly the week feels like a loss.
Research shows this mindset—also called “all-or-nothing thinking”—is linked to higher stress, anxiety, and burnout.
The Power of Flexibility
Flexibility isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s essential for consistency. Psychological flexibility—the ability to adapt plans and behaviors when life happens—is strongly linked to long-term adherence in exercise and rehabilitation programs.
Take last week as an example: I moved a Monday workout to Sunday because I knew my schedule would be unpredictable. I didn’t fight it. I accepted the change and still stayed “on track.”
Being on track isn’t about rigid perfection. It’s about staying committed, adjusting when necessary, and showing up consistently, even if it’s not exactly how you planned.
Redefining “On Track”
What is “being on track” to you? If your definition of on track is never missing a Monday, you’ve set yourself up for guilt and frustration. Life happens. Meetings shift. Kids get sick. Work deadlines sneak up.
Instead, redefine success:
“I can reschedule workouts when needed.”
“I will focus on the big picture, not one missed session.”
“I am worthy of celebrating small wins.”
“I made a change, but still supported my goals.”
This mindset shift turns setbacks into opportunities rather than catastrophes.
5 Strategies to Overcome All-or-Nothing Thinking
Spot Absolutist Language: Words like always and never are red flags. They are rampant in the fitness community. Ignore them.
Challenge Extreme Thoughts: Ask yourself, “Is this 100% true?” Most of the time, your extreme thoughts are NOT 100% true… In fact, they are barely true at all. It’s just your ego coming in.
Celebrate Progress, Not Perfection: Consistency matters more than individual perfection. C’mon, you’ve tried being “perfect” before… How did that work out?
Practice Self-Compassion: Be kind to yourself when plans go off track. Notice your feelings and hold space for them, but don’t shame yourself for feeling what you feel and needing what you need.
Plan Ahead Flexibly: Look at your week and move workouts if needed without guilt. The biggest mistake I see clients make is not planning ahead. Set aside a few minutes each day or each weekend, and LOOK AHEAD! That’s it. You become aware of what’s coming and feel okay making changes when you can see it all come back together.
The Takeaway
Missing a Monday doesn’t ruin your week. It’s your response that matters. By embracing flexibility, staying accountable, and ditching perfectionism, you can create a sustainable, guilt-free approach to fitness.
The goal here is if you train four days a week… train four days a week! Who cares what days they are on or what times they are at?
Stop letting all-or-nothing thinking hold you back. Your week, your schedule, your progress… They’re all still very much on track.