by Ann Ferguson

Push until you can’t. Rest until you can.

Those are the rules for the new online exercise program I started a few weeks ago. And honestly? It’s throwing me off. This rhythm of working out is completely new to me, and I’m still wrapping my head around it.

When I take a gym class, I push. I don’t like being the weakest in the room. I was a professional ballerina when I was younger—I know how to dig deep and push harder. I lean in, breathe through the burn, and override the pain with sheer will. That’s how I’ve been conditioned. That’s what discipline looks like. My rhythm has always been:
Push, push, push, push, push more... crash.
Repeat the next day.

That’s what I believed made me strong. Mentally tough. And maybe it did—for a while. But now? Now I burn out hard. I collapse. And when someone suggests I start again, I meet the idea with a mix of self-sabotage and procrastination. The justifications pile up. The excuses sound reasonable. And I begin to believe it’s just impossible to get back in shape.

But this program—this trainer—says something radical:

“Push yourself until you can’t go on. Then rest. Don’t pace yourself to make it through. Push hard and rest regardless of what anyone else is doing.”

Wait, what? Don’t pace myself? Rest in the middle?
That’s the opposite of what ballet taught me. If I’d ever stopped mid-barre because my leg was shaking, I’d have been called out. “No!” my conditioning screams. “Pace yourself so you can keep going. So you can push again tomorrow.”
The old rhythm was:
Push, push, push, push more, stop when the class stops.
Crash. Burn. Repeat.

But I committed to trying this new way—exactly as instructed—for one full month. I love testing things out, proving them right or wrong. The promise? That this rhythm would reset my metabolism and make my body more efficient, more responsive, and stronger.

So for three weeks, I’ve followed it. Every other day I do the workout. On off days, I rest—completely. When I work out, I push until I’m breathless or my muscles give out. Then I rest. Just for a bit. Then I jump back in. The new rhythm is:
Push, rest. Push, rest. Push, rest.
Rest again the next day. Repeat when energized.

And you know what?
I can do this.
It feels strange… but it’s working. I actually look forward to my workouts. My body feels strong and responsive. I feel fit. Burnout isn’t looming. I’m motivated, energized, and kind of... enjoying myself.

And then I realized—this doesn’t just apply to exercise.
It mirrors how I’ve been learning to create, too.

For so long, my creative rhythm looked the same as my workout one:
Set a goal. Think of everything that has to get done.
Push, push, push—even when I’m tired, even when my family needs me, even when my creativity is spent.
Discipline means success. Keep going.
Then... collapse.
"I just don’t have what it takes. I’m done."
And I’d start to believe the lie that creating the life I wanted was impossible.

But that was my pattern.

Since reading The Jackrabbit Factor, attending Genius Bootcamp, and working through Mindset Mastery, something has shifted. My rhythm has changed. I move now with more of a push, rest, push, rest pattern. I’ve let God become my creation trainer.

Here’s how it works: I’ll wake up with a spark—an idea, usually first thing in the morning. My mental energy is fresh, so I pursue it. I act on the inspired steps that come. I work on it until the creative fatigue sets in. Then I rest. I do something else. Even if it’s not done yet. After some time, another spark hits. I’m ready again. And because I’ve rested, I have the energy—and excitement—to do more than I thought possible.

I don’t waste time distracting myself. I’m not avoiding the work. I simply work until I can’t, and then I rest until I can. That’s my new rhythm:
Push, rest. Push, rest. Push, rest.
Rest some more the next day. Then do it again when I'm energized.

And I can do this.

My creative metabolism has been reset. My mind is efficient. Life feels responsive. Things I didn’t even know I needed are showing up—thoughts, people, resources—all flowing in.

In the past, creating terrified me. Now?
It’s actually comfortable. Enjoyable, even.

My mind is strong enough now to bounce out the toxic thoughts that clog the flow. And when I rest from it all, I don’t carry guilt for not “doing more.” I trust the process. I trust the rhythm. With God as my trainer, I’m becoming a fit, healthy creator.

So if you’re struggling to re-engage with a project, vision, or dream... I get it.
Maybe your rhythm is just off.

In the creative process, there’s a time for doing and a time for resting.
And growth?
Growth happens like it did when we were kids—while we sleep.

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•   To discover how to start choosing more effectively now, read The Jackrabbit Factor (FREE!)  
•   If you want more step-by-step guidance on creating the life you really want, join me in the Mindset Mastery program.
•   If you want my help overcoming that giant obstacle right in front of you, learn more and sign up for Genius Bootcamp.