Starting Over: The Value of Chasing Something Different
There’s something humbling about returning to something you once knew well. You remember how it used to feel, what you were capable of, and how much progress you had made. Then you step back in and realize just how much work it takes to get there again.
That’s where I find myself now.
For the past two years, I shifted my focus away from the Olympic lifts to chase a different goal: a 500-pound back squat. During that time, my back squat went from 200 to 228, and my front squat went from 180 to 200. Reaching that goal required a serious commitment, which meant the snatch and clean and jerk took a back seat.
I knew I was getting rusty. I felt torn between wanting to improve my Olympic lifts and knowing that splitting my attention wouldn't get me where I wanted to go. Eventually, I had to accept that if I wanted to accomplish something meaningful, I needed to commit to the process and accept the trade-offs.
So that's what I did.
Now that I've reached my squat goal, I'm ready to shift my focus back to the Olympic lifts. And as excited as I am to get back to them, there's a reality I have to face: getting back to where I was is going to take work.
My strength is there, but two years of heavy squatting have taken a toll on my body. Rebuilding my snatch and clean and jerk means more than just picking up a barbell. I need to address nagging issues, put in rehabilitation work, rebuild my technique, and gradually increase my training volume.
I can't expect to pick up where I left off. I have to earn my way back.
And that's okay.
Every Goal Has Its Season
One thing this experience has taught me is that it's okay to have conflicting goals.
We often want to improve everything at once. We want to get stronger, move better, build muscle, and develop new skills without sacrificing progress in any area. But sometimes, pursuing one goal seriously means putting another on hold.
Some goals are for a season. Others are long-term pursuits that we return to when the time is right.
Stepping away from something doesn't mean it no longer matters to you. Sometimes, it simply means something else deserves your attention right now.
The important part is being intentional about your decisions. If you choose to pursue a goal, commit to the work it requires. Understand that there will be trade-offs, and accept that you can't give everything your full attention all the time.
For two years, I chose the squat. Now, I'm choosing the Olympic lifts.
Both pursuits matter to me, but they belong to different chapters of my training.
The Work of Rebuilding
The difficult part about starting over is accepting the gap between where you are and where you want to be.
You remember what you used to be capable of, and it's tempting to expect yourself to perform at that same level immediately. But experience doesn't eliminate the work required to rebuild.
I still understand the Olympic lifts. I still have the strength and knowledge I've developed over the years. But I need to put in the repetitions, address my weaknesses, and give my body time to catch up with my expectations.
The same might be true for you.
Maybe you've taken time away from training. Maybe your priorities have changed, or life has pulled you in a different direction. Maybe you're chasing a new goal and realizing that something you once worked hard to develop has started to slip.
Whatever your situation looks like, don't let the distance between where you are and where you want to be discourage you from starting.
You don't have to be where you once were to make progress. You just have to be willing to do the work in front of you.
Take a Moment to Reflect
As I begin this next chapter, I'm reminded that progress isn't always a straight line. Sometimes we push forward in one area while accepting that another will have to wait. Sometimes we accomplish a goal only to discover that the next challenge requires us to become a beginner again.
That's part of the process.
So I want to leave you with a few questions to consider:
Where are you right now? Are your current actions aligned with the goals that matter most to you?
What season are you in? Is it time to double down on a goal, or is it time to shift your focus toward something new?
What are you willing to sacrifice? Every meaningful pursuit requires time, energy, and commitment. Are you prepared to give it what it needs?
What do you need to rebuild? If you've stepped away from something important to you, what is one step you can take to begin working your way back?
You don't need to pursue every goal at once. You don't need to have everything figured out. But you do need to be honest with yourself about where you are and intentional about where you want to go.
And when you decide to return to something you've put on hold, remember that rebuilding takes time. Be patient enough to meet yourself where you are, and committed enough to keep moving forward.
Starting over isn't failure. It's another opportunity to grow.
Embrace the difficulty, because the lessons we learn while working our way back are often just as valuable as the goals we set out to achieve in the first place.