#72: September Reset — Setting Yourself Up for Success
Welcome back to the Building Thriving Lifestyles Podcast! In today’s episode, we’re diving into why September feels like a new January for so many people — and how to restart your fitness routine with clarity, intention, and compassion.
If you’ve been showing up at the gym but feel like your efforts are scattered, this episode is for you. I’ll walk you through a simple framework to set meaningful goals, cut out the clutter, and create actions you can stick to — even on your hardest days.
👉 Listen here: [embed player]
Why September is the new January
Summer winds down, routines reset, and suddenly September feels like a natural fresh start. But here’s the catch: if you head into fall without a plan, you’re setting yourself up for frustration.
As the saying goes: failure to plan is planning to fail.
And I see this all the time: people are in the gym, which is wonderful, but they’re doing a little bit of everything — a machine here, a Zumba class there, maybe a Sunday endurance session. The problem? These activities aren’t targeted toward their real goals.
For example:
If your goal is to get stronger, Zumba won’t get you there.
If your goal is endurance, a random strength workout won’t cut it.
The result? People look back at the end of the year, frustrated that despite all their effort, they’re no closer to the result they wanted.
Clarity is everything. Knowing what to do — and what not to do — makes the difference between spinning your wheels and actually moving forward.
Waving your magic wand ✨
Here’s a reflection exercise I guide clients through:
👉 If you could wave a magic wand, what’s the one result you’d want by the end of December?
Running a 5K?
Feeling stronger in the gym?
Building consistency?
Simply enjoying movement again?
Once you’ve chosen your vision, ask yourself: why does this matter to me? That deeper “why” is what keeps you motivated when the novelty wears off.
My personal reset this fall
To make this practical, let me share my own September reset.
Right now, I’ve set my sights on running a faster 10K while maintaining general physical preparedness. To get there, I’ve committed to:
Two weekly running sessions focused on speed and endurance.
Following the TTT60 training program for strength and conditioning. (I outsource my training because otherwise I second-guess and tinker — maybe you’ve been there too!)
And I’ve built a simple three-tier system of actions:
Hardest-day actions: Drink water, eat my staple meals, and walk 10,000 steps. If the day is really rough, even a 20-minute walk counts as a win.
Good-day actions: A quick home-gym workout during one of Oliver’s naps.
Best-day actions: A full session at open gym.
This approach keeps me consistent without demanding perfection.
Your turn: build your tiers
Here’s how you can do the same:
Define your December outcome (wave that wand).
Dig into why it matters.
Create 2–3 small actions for each category:
Hardest-day actions
Good-day actions
Best-day actions
That’s it — a flexible plan that grows with your life, not against it.
Resources mentioned
📚 Atomic Habits by James Clear — a great resource on how small actions compound over time.
📝 Listener survey: www.fitwitheik.com/podcast-survey — tell me what topics you want more of this season!
💻 Coaching + more podcast episodes: www.fitwitheik.com
Final thoughts
September gives you a fresh slate — but only if you use it with intention.
Remember: building a thriving lifestyle isn’t about going harder. It’s about aligning your actions with your values, stripping away the clutter, and showing up with compassion for yourself.
✨ And if you’re feeling stuck or unsure how to align your actions with your goals, I’d love to help. You can book a 1:1 Clarity Session with me where we’ll walk through these reflections together and create a simple, doable action plan that sets you up for success this fall.
