When the Winning Streak Stops: How to Refocus, Recalibrate, and Get Back on Track
Have you ever been on such a winning streak that you felt like nothing could touch you?
Life is smooth, routines feel effortless, progress stacks up… and then BAM — suddenly you’re looking around thinking, “How in the hell did I get back HERE?”
Yeah.
Lack of focus will do that.
When life is going well for a while, it’s easy to forget the actual work we put in to climb out of a bad habit, a rough relationship, burnout, or a depressive slump. Progress feels good — but comfort can quietly pull us back to old patterns. And when that happens, our momentum stalls and the path toward our goals becomes blurry.
At Grit + Valor Coaching, we call this the complacency slide — and everyone, even the strongest, hits it eventually.
Why We Slide Backward
Reverting to old habits or losing sight of the bigger picture happens for a lot of reasons: stress, burnout, bad influences, overwhelm, or plain old human nature.
For me, it usually boils down to stress, laziness creeping in, or simply too much on my plate.
And the fix?
Go back to the basics.
When those “bad actors” break in, I reset to square one and remind myself:
This is not a failure.
This is an opportunity to re-evaluate, re-focus, and re-align with the goals that actually matter.
Here are the questions I return to — the same ones I use with clients:
Is my goal still the same as when I first set it? If not, what changed?
Has my situation changed? Does that shift my strategy?
Are my current habits supporting the outcome I want?
Is my goal still specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound?
Am I overcomplicating this? (Spoiler: I usually am.)
These questions force honesty. They also force accountability.
My Own Reset: A Real-Life Example
The last month threw some major chaos into my world. A few of my big goals derailed, and instead of spiralling, I decided to walk myself through the same process I teach others.
1. Is my goal still the same?
Not exactly.
My original version was short-term, and I didn’t factor in long-term sustainability or the maintenance required once the initial goal was reached.
2. Are my circumstances the same?
Not even close.
Life shifted, making some of my habits harder to maintain. Stress nudged me back toward comfortable but unproductive old habits. To move forward, I need new routines, better accountability, and intentional stress management.
3. Are my habits helpful?
Some are… many aren’t.
Here are the habits I need to reintroduce:
Using timers to structure tasks
Writing out simple, realistic, specific daily goals
Journaling or reflecting throughout the day
Getting an accountability buddy to call me out and keep me on track
These aren’t flashy. They’re not complicated. But they work — every time.
4. Is my goal still SMART?
Yes — as long as I hold myself accountable and stop making excuses.
My circumstances changed, so the process must adapt. That means smaller steps, shorter timelines, and monthly evaluations instead of one big six-month target.
For example:
Goal: Work out two hours a day, five days a week, for the next three weeks.
Specific: Yes.
Measurable: Absolutely — track each day and duration.
Attainable: Yes, as long as I stay flexible. If mornings don’t work, I pivot to evenings. If I’m exhausted, I still show up — even if the workout is lighter.
Reasonable: Yes. Chaos doesn’t cancel possibility.
Time-specific: Three weeks, then reassess.
5. Am I making this harder than it needs to be?
Oh, absolutely.
One of my biggest personal tendencies is to overthink everything — making simple tasks unnecessarily complicated and overwhelming myself in the process.
That’s where an old phrase from a former training officer comes back to center:
“Keep it simple, stupid.”
Break the goal down:
I want to accomplish X. To do that, I need to complete A, B, C.
Then review and adjust.
This method brings clarity, perspective, and a dose of self-compassion — something most of us (especially first responders and high-stress professionals) are terrible at.
The Bottom Line: Life Happens. Adapt Anyway.
Life will disrupt your plans.
Unexpected change is a guarantee — not a possibility.
But failing to adapt, refusing to reassess, or staying stuck in outdated habits sets you up for frustration, disappointment, and eventually giving up altogether.
We must learn from the past.
We must evaluate the present.
And we must adjust the plan to reach the future we want.
Grit is earned.
Valor is chosen.
Progress requires both.
If you’re feeling stuck, slipping backward, or overwhelmed by your own goals, you don’t have to navigate that alone. These are exactly the moments when coaching creates clarity, accountability, and momentum.
Ready to reset and rebuild with intention?
Reach out — let’s get you back on track with purpose, grit, and a plan that actually fits your life.