Show Up Anyway: Why the Workouts You Hate Are the Ones That Change You Most
By SoGo CrossFit
Every athlete knows the feeling.
You walk into the gym, glance at the whiteboard, and instantly think:
“Oh hell no.”
Maybe it’s a movement you struggle with.
Maybe it’s a rep scheme that steals your soul just by looking at it.
Maybe it’s simply not “your day.”
And in that moment, the quiet little voice shows up:
“Just skip today.”
“You can make it up tomorrow.”
“This one doesn’t matter.”
But here’s the truth we don’t talk about enough:
The days you least want to train are the days that matter the most.
Not because the workout is special.
Not because the whiteboard is magical.
Not because missing a day will derail your fitness.
But because showing up when you don’t want to is one of the most powerful skills you can develop — in the gym and in life.
The Easy Days Don’t Build You — the Hard Ones Do
Anyone can train when the workout looks fun.
Anyone can show up for their favorite movements.
Anyone can stay motivated when everything feels light and easy.
But when the workout punches you in the ego before you even warm up?
That’s where the transformation happens.
That’s where grit is built.
That’s where discipline grows.
That’s where you train the part of yourself that doesn’t quit when life gets heavy.
You don’t have to love the workout.
You don’t have to dominate it.
You just have to show up and try.
Because:
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You build muscle by moving against resistance.
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You build character the exact same way.
What Happens When You Show Up Anyway
When you choose the hard way on purpose — even when no one would blame you for skipping — something shifts inside you.
Every uncomfortable rep rewires your brain:
“I can do hard shit.”
Every round you finish reinforces:
“I keep promises to myself.”
Every time you walk through the door on a day you wanted to stay home, you strengthen the most important muscle you have — your identity.
You stop being someone who works out only when it feels good.
You become someone who honors commitments even when they’re inconvenient.
You become someone who doesn’t let fear, frustration, or discomfort make decisions for them.
That kind of person is dangerous in the best way.
Showing Up Anyway Bleeds Into Everything
The confidence you build on those days doesn’t stay in the gym.
It leaks into:
✔️ hard conversations
✔️ stressful weeks
✔️ big goals
✔️ moments when life throws weight on your bar you didn’t ask for
When showing up becomes who you are — not something you occasionally do — everything becomes possible.
Be Kind to Yourself. Take No Shit From Your Excuses.
This isn’t about punishment.
It’s not about perfection.
It’s not about chasing some imaginary version of “fitness.”
It’s about learning how to keep going when motivation falls flat.
It’s about giving yourself the gift of proving—you’re stronger than your mood, your excuses, and your temporary discomfort.
It’s about building a life where you decide who you are.
So the Next Time You Walk In and Hate the Workout…
Take a breath.
Feel that resistance.
And show up anyway.
Not for the whiteboard.
Not for the score.
Not for the coach.
For the future version of you who wins because you refused to quit.
At SoGo, we’re here for all of it —
the fun days, the grind days, and the days you’d rather be anywhere else.
Just keep showing up.
You'll be amazed at who you become because of it.