A year ago I weighed around 250 pounds and had no background in endurance sports. I wasn’t an athlete, didn’t have a routine, and honestly didn’t recognize the person I’d become.
In January I signed up for Ironman California with no real plan other than to show up every day and see what happened.
What followed wasn’t just physical change. It was identity change.
Training forced structure into my life. Mornings stopped being negotiable. Decisions got easier. Sleep mattered. Food mattered. Consistency stopped being a motivational concept and became a requirement.
By October I crossed the finish line in 13:18:49 at about 175 pounds. But the more important result was this: I now trust myself.
Not because of the race itself — but because for months I kept promises to myself when no one was watching.
I’m sharing this here because a lot of transformation content focuses on the before/after, but the real shift happens quietly: in the routine you build, the standards you set, and the person you slowly become in the process.
If you’re sitting on the edge of a hard decision or a big goal and waiting to feel ready — don’t. You don’t become disciplined before you act. You become disciplined because you act.
Happy to answer questions about the process, the training, or the mental side of the change.
This is powerful. The biggest win isn’t the finish time or the weight loss, it’s rebuilding trust in yourself through daily follow-through. You showed how discipline isn’t motivation, it’s identity shaped by repeated action. Really inspiring reminder that consistency changes who you are, not just what you achieve
That really means a lot. You captured exactly what the year taught me. The trust piece changed everything for me. Appreciate you taking the time to write that.
Surprised this doesn't have more comments and up votes. Honestly very compelling stuff here. "You don't become disciplined before you act. You become disciplined because you act." I like that
Appreciate that a lot. The line you quoted came from lived experience more than theory. I spent a long time waiting to feel disciplined before acting. Turns out the order matters more than the outcome. Action first. The rest catches up.