A recent conversation at the gym got me (Will) thinking about how we approach confidence and focus.

We were chatting at the end of an intense session. My gym mate shared how glad they were to have shown up, despite feeling pretty average at the start of class. They described how much better they felt afterwards — lighter, clearer, more energised.

Then he said something that stuck with me:

“If only we could turn this feeling into a pill.” (Paraphrased)

My first thought? Now that’s an idea big pharma would cash in on.

But then something deeper clicked.

I replied, “Actually… what you’re feeling right now can’t be bottled up—because the real magic happened when you decided to show up despite feeling flat.”

There’s no shortcut for what he experienced.

Feel Everything

I genuinely believe that one of the most important life skills isn’t learning how to feel better — it’s learning how to feel everything.

What matters more than the endorphin rush is what happens before the reward — when you push through the resistance, the doubt, the lack of motivation.

That kind of inner wiring can’t be artificially programmed into you. It only gets built through repetition — showing up over and over again, whether you feel like it or not.

Feeling better is the byproduct.

Feeling through is the practice.

So next time you’re not feeling up to it — whatever it is — know that you’re not just doing the deed…

You’re teaching yourself how to keep going.

And in the long run, repetition builds competency — and competency breeds confidence.

Always in that order. Never the other way around.