August 2024 was my month of push-ups—31 days, 100 push-ups every day. It seemed simple enough on paper: consistency, discipline, and a dash of mental toughness. The reality? A bit messier, with some surprising lessons along the way.

I kicked things off strong on August 1, hitting my 100 daily push-ups like clockwork. I powered through the first half of the month without missing a single day. It felt good—great, actually—to be on top of my game. Each day’s set of push-ups felt like a small victory, a promise kept to myself. But, as we all know, life doesn’t always play by the rules.

The first crack appeared during the weekend of August 17-18. I let myself slip, missing both days completely. Maybe it was the weekend mode kicking in, maybe it was just a lapse in focus. But, determined not to fall behind, I pushed myself hard the following week. From August 19-22, I made up for the lost time by upping the ante to 150 push-ups each day. That’s right—no shortcuts. I was back on track, and it felt like I’d beaten the weekend slump.

Then came another dip. The weekend of August 24-25 rolled around, and this time, I didn’t miss entirely but didn’t quite hit the mark either. I managed just 25 push-ups on the 24th and 50 on the 25th. My rhythm was off, and it was starting to show. The real challenge, however, was yet to come.

From August 26-29, I found myself struggling to stay motivated. My energy levels dipped, and I just couldn’t seem to get into the zone. I only managed 50 push-ups each day, half of what I’d set out to do. It was frustrating, but I knew this slump was part of the process. The body, like the mind, sometimes just hits a wall.

But as the month wound down, I wasn’t about to let my challenge end on a low note. On August 30 and 31, I rallied. It wasn’t about catching up or compensating for what I’d missed—it was about finishing strong, no matter what. I cranked out 100 push-ups on each of those final days. There’s something satisfying about finishing on a high note, even when the journey hasn’t been perfect.

In the end, I didn’t quite reach my original goal of 3,000 push-ups for the month. But you know what? I still managed to knock out 2,675 push-ups—2,675 more than I would have done if I hadn’t pushed myself to try. Sometimes, it’s not about hitting a specific number, but about taking on the challenge and seeing how far you can go. Every push-up counted, and the effort wasn’t wasted because I got stronger in through the process.

Would I do it again? Absolutely. I’m still chasing 3,000 pushups in 1 month!!