The #20x20Challenge for August is off and running, and man, you ladies are KIIIIILLIN IT! Close to 2k checkins on Instagram already and it’s only August 6^th! I could not be more excited and inspired by who are participating. It’s been incredible for me to witness such the commitment and community. Heart warmed. Thank you.

And because so many participating are just getting started again, after not having exercised for a while, or for maybe just for the summer, I want to talk about what sucks about the beginning.

But first, I want to tell you something new I’m doing in an effort to get more facetime and connection with you …

If you are on social media, which I am sure you are, then you have probably caught wind of the next big thing, Periscope. It’s a live streaming, where I basically get on a video chat and people jump on the chat with me and we have a virtual conversation. A virtual “hangout” if you will. I get on, talk about whatever, and you comment, ask questions, share your own opinion and perspective and it’s all basically one big group convo.

Sounds cool, right?

Anyway, at first I tried to avoid it.

I was like, well, there’s a bunch of these things, it’ll fizzle out. Or maybe, it’s mostly for, you know, young kids like Snap Chat (which I still cannot for the life of me figure out. And who wants to share that much of their life?!).

But then I KEPT seeing people talking … periscope, Periscope, PERISCOPE. And like the naturally-curious person I am, I signed up.

Well, come to find out it’s actually very cool. Basically, it gives you and I a chance to connect in a less formal way, where I just kind of "jump on" and we get into it. It’s supposed to be very relaxed and casual, you know, like girlfriends chatting. Which I like because honestly, I want to be able to connect with you in new ways and more frequently.

That’s why I have committed to “scoping” at least a few times a week. And I think it’s going to be a great opportunity to connect with you ladies more intimately and do more Q&As.

Are you interested in joining me? It’s free and all you have to do is download the app and then search “Jill Coleman” and then add me. Then, you will get a notification when I go on live so you can jump on (you can turn notifications off if you want) and we can chat.

I’ll be talking about everything from nutrition and food obsession, to fitness, business, relationships and honing your success mindset. It will be fun! Download and add me if you’re game.

But … it’s kind of scary for me.

See, I have never been a very naturally casual person. I know that sounds weird. Maybe it’s the German in me, or the northeastern upbringing, but the concept of being technically “on stage” but not buttoned up and professional is hard for me. Especially when it comes to what I am passionate about. I am either suited up and ready to perform (Jen Sinkler affectionately calls this “Blazer status”) or I am completely off duty.

I know this sounds strange, but when it comes to casual and relaxed and NOT HAVING A PLAN of what I am going to be teaching, I have a hard time! I’m not great at “off the cuff” and dilly-dallying. You can see this even in interviews that I do. I’m pretty formal. Reserved. Professional. Which I like, but now I need you guys to help me chill the eff out and just “jump on a hangout.” Ha! We shall see.

Okay, as is my practice, the best way to learn is to just jump in, so I am going to. I actually did my first official (see, there’s that word again!) scope two days ago and many of you were on, so it was fun (even though I still felt like I needed a CLASS PLAN!).

In the scope we talked about one quick thing I want to bring up to you to today: START WHERE YOU ARE.

I talked about the early days at JillFit, and how I was broke, tired and barely had any time to dedicate to my passionate project, the JillFit.com blog. Besides, I was training 12 clients a day and teaching 3 fitness classes daily. Write a blog, are you insane?

But I knew that in order to take my schedule, impact and creativity to the level I wanted, I needed to find the time and harness the mental effort it took to simply press publish. As much as possible.

But it’s hard. Because see, when you are just getting started with something, you don’t have any wins yet. No one really gives a shit. Your friends are mildly intrigued, but are all, yeah, we’ll see if this works! Your parents and family have no idea what you are doing or why you would even try, and you? Well, you’re kind of all you’ve got. And self-doubts are at its highest at the beginning. Because you haven’t experienced the impact of your efforts yet.

You’re all like, “Is this thing on? Anyone there? Bueller? Bueller???”

And welp, not many people are there yet.

And if you are starting #20x20Challenge and are 5 days into it – and your body is looking the exact same despite the effort – you’re like, um, WTF. This is a whole lot of effort for no gains? Bye!

I get you. And I remember feeling like that a lot when I first started my business or when I would start a new contest prep.

See, there’s a ramp up period. I call it, “The Goodwill Phase” where you are consistently paying dues into this seemingly arbitrary TRUST piggybank, even though you are seeing barely any results yet.

It’s similar to pushing a boulder up a hill. You are doing more work than is necessary because there isn’t any momentum yet. In fact, at times it’s working against you.

If it’s with your workouts, your body is used to operating at a certain level, and it’s defending that body fat % and that muscle mass. So while your body is responding (how can it not when you are training intensely?), the effects are not going to show up until you’ve got some skin in the game, time-wise and consistency-wise.

Ironically, this is (unfortunately) the same reason so many give up because they are looking for quick wins, and when they don’t get them, they think why bother?

But when you are building something that takes time and consistent attention (like a body, a business, or a relationship), you have to take the long view. That’s also why so very few succeed.

But.

But the cool thing is this: that boulder you are pushing up that hill? At some point, it reaches the top, and your efforts have paid off enough that it starts moving on it’s on a little more. It starts picking up speed. Your efforts accelerate.

If it’s your fitness, you have finally built enough muscle that it takes less effort to maintain your physique. If it’s your business, you have put enough goodwill in the piggybank that your efforts exponentiate without you having to struggle though every single little thing.

Your time, effort and struggle at the beginning starts paying dividends.

I promise this is the way it works. Right now? You might not feel like it matters. You might feel like, why bother? Who cares.

And that’s what matters the most in the end.