Do Not Grow Weary: Day 28 and the Setback That Won’t Stop Me

January 29, 2026 ~ David Willis ~ Leave a comment

Day 28 of the 7-40 Challenge
Wednesday, January 28, 2026

“Let us not grow weary of doing good, for at the right time we will reap a harvest, if we do not give up.”
— Galatians 6:9

Yesterday, I wrote about the rules that make excellence possible. I laid out my seven daily habits—the clear structure that is helping me become the husband, father, and professional I’m meant to be.

I know what I need to do. I’ve set the rules for myself. The system is working.

And then life threw me a curveball.

The Setback

A few days ago, during the winter storm, I fell. Hard. I landed on my right hand.

To say it’s bruised is an understatement.

I’ve been trying to push through. I modified my workouts. I adjusted my grip. I told myself it would get better if I just kept going.

Today, my chiropractor told me the truth: I need to lay off lifting weights for at least a week to give my hand a chance to heal.

And here’s the question I had to ask myself: Do I let this setback derail me, or do I keep moving forward?

Why Getting Fit Isn’t Optional

I’m 47 years old. Getting fit is a must because getting older is no joke. I don’t move like I used to.

This isn’t about vanity. This isn’t about looking good for summer. This is about being able to show up fully for my wife and son. This is about not being the guy who can’t play with his grandkids someday because he didn’t take care of himself now.

Time is precious. I can’t afford to waste it.

And that’s what makes this setback so frustrating. I know I need this. I know every day counts. And now my body is telling me to stop—temporarily, but still.

So what do I do?

The Wisdom of Having a Plan

Here’s what I’ve learned over 28 days: If we’re smart, we have a plan in place for setbacks because we know setbacks are coming.

That’s what setbacks do. They come.

In my 2026 Vision Doc, I wrote out a crisis management protocol:

Family crisis: Full priority override
Personal illness or injury: Keep all habits except exercise if rest needed
Everything else: Spit out the blood and keep going

Today falls into category two.

My hand needs to heal. My chiropractor gave me professional guidance. Ignoring that isn’t toughness—it’s stupidity.

So I’m resting today. No exercise. No weightlifting. No yoga. Just rest.

But here’s the key: I’m still doing everything else.

✓ Bible study
✓ Calorie tracking
✓ Water
✓ Reading (Talk Like TED is firing me up)
✓ Gratitude
✓ Creative work (writing this post)
✗ Exercise (resting today)

Six out of seven habits completed. The system holds.

Tomorrow: Back to Forward Momentum

Day 29, I’ll pick up with a full hour of walking or walking and yoga. No weights until my hand is healed and my chiropractor clears me.

The weightlifting will wait. The 13-week plan will adjust. The rules I set for myself yesterday? They’re still in place. I’m just applying wisdom to how I execute them.

Because the goal isn’t to prove I’m tough by ignoring my body. The goal is to become the best version of myself for my family—and that requires sustainable health, not reckless pushing through pain.

Do Not Grow Weary

Paul’s words in Galatians 6:9 keep echoing in my head today:

“Let us not grow weary of doing good, for at the right time we will reap a harvest, if we do not give up.”

The setback is frustrating. The pause is annoying. The lost week of lifting feels like wasted time.

But I’m not giving up.

I’m not growing weary.

Because I know the harvest is coming.

Twenty-eight days of consistent execution. Weight loss trending in the right direction. Novel revision progressing. Social media breakthrough in motion. Daily blog posts stacking up.

One week of modified exercise doesn’t erase 28 days of proof.

The rules are still in place. The system is still working. The mission is still clear.

I just have to be wise enough to know when to rest so I can keep going for the long haul.

What Do We Do When Setbacks Come?

We do what we planned to do.

We don’t panic. We don’t quit. We don’t let one obstacle derail the entire mission.

We adjust. We rest when needed. We keep moving forward with what we can do while we heal what we can’t.

And we remember: The harvest is coming if we do not give up.

Day 28 looks different than I wanted it to. But it’s not a failure. It’s wisdom in action.

Tomorrow, I walk. Next week, I lift again. The long game continues.

Do not grow weary of doing good.

The harvest is coming.

Day 28: Complete ✓

Six out of seven habits executed. Resting wisely to fight another day.

Round 1 Progress: 28/40 days (70%)

See you tomorrow for Day 29.

Thank You Campaign: The Mentor Who Saw What I Couldn’t See

January 26, 2026 ~ David Willis ~ Leave a comment

Today is Day 25 of the 7-40 Challenge—Sunday, January 25th, 2026. I’ve marked out every Sunday this year as my day to express gratitude for someone or something specific. I call it the Thank You Campaign.

I truly believe that gratitude—keeping a grateful heart—is one of the things that leads to personal happiness, fulfillment, and in many ways, success. I also think it’s something God wants from me: to be grateful. And I am so incredibly grateful for so many things.

Today’s topic is mentoring.

Why Mentoring Matters More Than Ever

Over the years, I’ve had some very good mentors—professionally, through books, and teachers I’d consider mentors. But that role of stepping alongside someone and helping them become more than they are is powerful and so very much needed in today’s world.

We get lost in the idea that technology will be able to do almost everything we do today. I think we forget that with the advances of technology, we have to become more human in our interactions if we truly want to be happy. This is nowhere more real than in being a mentor or having a mentor.

When I Didn’t Know My Own Potential

When I was a younger man, I did not know my own potential. I think that’s the case many of us find ourselves in.

I was a music major in college, and not long after meeting and marrying my wife, I realized music was no longer what I wanted to do. So I went to the counselor’s office and asked for “the quickest route to victory.” I know—stupid as that sounds. I went to a 4-year university and played either-or with my major. They gave me two options: sociology or journalism.

I should have chosen journalism. With my interest in writing, fact-finding, and working through details, that would have made great sense today. But I chose sociology. At that time, I was a youth pastor, and the idea of studying groups of people and understanding how they work together made sense. I thought it fit where I was in my life.

Not long after I had my degree in sociology, I was no longer a youth pastor. I had absolutely no idea professionally what I could or wanted to do.

The Wilderness Years

So I did what many people do—I took a series of odd jobs.

I worked as a salesman for the Thomas Kinkade Gallery. Not really my speed. Beautiful art, but I didn’t have much fun selling it.

I worked as an assistant manager at Pizza Hut, where I ate entirely too much pizza over six months. Not my dream job. A very thankless position. It makes me incredibly grateful now when restaurant service is stellar, because when people are hungry, man, they don’t treat you well. Did I see that firsthand.

I also spent time spraying yards at a grass company. That was horrendous in so many ways—not just the job itself, but some of the characters I worked with. I’ll talk about that some other time.

Then I worked as an office manager at an insurance claims firm. This is where I actually started paying attention to my skills and trying to get better at what I was doing.

Enter David

While at that job, I was attending a church in Northwest Oklahoma City. I told one of the pastors that I needed a mentor—I wanted a Christian businessman to come alongside me and help me see the things I wasn’t seeing, help me reframe where I was in my life.

Through this connection, I met a man named David.

David was a salesman—a very successful salesman. He was also a dedicated and devoted husband and a very good father. He was just generally a good dude.

He quickly took me under his wing. Met with me week over week. Did his best to show me what the stability of focusing on your current position and becoming excellent at it could do.

As I watched him, as we studied parts of the Bible together, as we talked about business and life, I started to grow more confident in myself. I started to understand that I had agency and the ability to choose how I reacted to my situations.

Did that make things automatically better? No, it didn’t.

But it gave me hope where I had previously been hopeless.

What His Belief Changed

I was so beat down. So desperate for change.

Having somebody take me seriously—somebody see that I could be more than I was—meant more to me than I can describe.

Not long after we began meeting together, I switched jobs into the career field I’m in now. David was one of the people who helped me see that I could actually do something new, that I could do more than I had expected, and that I had agency where I didn’t realize I did.

I’ve been in my current career more than 18 years now.

The Echo of Influence

I look in the mirror, and I no longer see that person I was back then. Much of it has faded away.

Every once in a while, though, I still see him in there. He still wonders if he’s good enough. He still wonders if he has what it takes to do these things well.

And I can remember David’s example—and many others—showing me that yes, I do have what it takes. Yes, I can make good choices. And yes, the work that I do matters.

Thank You, David

David, if you’re reading these words, know that I appreciate you, my friend. Even though we haven’t talked in quite some time, you hold a very special place in my heart and in the path I’ve been on and the person I am today.

Thank you for your influence. Thank you for your example.

I appreciate you.

Finding Your Why: Day 2 of the 7-40 Challenge

January 3, 2026 ~ David Willis ~ Leave a comment

Welcome back to the 7-40 Challenge. It’s Day 2, and momentum is strong.

Seven habits, all moving forward. The system is working. The real test comes next week when I return to work and the routine has to fit into normal life—but for now, we’re building the foundation.

Today, I’m reflecting on the why behind this challenge.

Like many of you, I’ve set goals over the years. Some I’ve achieved—many I have not. Year after year, I found myself frustrated, asking: Why do I set a goal and then watch it slip away, unachieved?

The Discovery in the Files

Over the Christmas holiday, I cleaned my office and sorted through years of papers, notes, and scribbled dreams. A theme emerged: I had saved goal lists from multiple years, desires to get in better shape, make more money, whatever mattered at the time.

Side note: I believe there’s real power in writing things down. Even if we forget about them later, the act of writing and considering our goals can set us on the right path.

But as I read through these lists, another theme surfaced. For years, I’ve been searching for my personal focus. Why am I here on Earth? Why has God put me in this place and time?

I have concrete answers to some of these questions:

I’m here to know God and serve Him
I’m here to love and serve my wife and care for her
I’m here to love my son and be an example for him
I’m here to be a good friend
I’m here to take care of people

But when I get to that last line—”I’m here to take care of people”—what does that actually mean?

The Ministry Years: 1998-2000

Let me rewind to 1998. At 20 years old, I felt called to serve in church ministry. I was still in college but had a deep desire to serve God and help people. I served nine months as a music pastor, then took on the youth pastor role for about a year and a half.

I enjoyed working with students, but the music ministry proved more challenging than I expected. Soon after, I moved to a different church to serve as youth pastor only—more enthusiasm, slightly higher salary, and the same desire to help people.

What I didn’t know then: I was woefully unprepared for either job.

Before the first position, I had minimal experience leading a choir—just a small ensemble at my college Baptist Student Union. Yet they expected me to hold choir rehearsals, help people sing in parts, make things sound beautiful, and work with people 30, 40, and 50 years older than me. I had zero knowledge of what to do.

With the youth group, I understood students better because I was closer to their age and knew how to communicate with them. But I had no idea how to interact with parents, build rapport with sponsors, or actually disciple students—because I was still very young myself. Whether through arrogance or oversight, I wasn’t receiving the training I desperately needed.

By the second church, my enthusiasm fizzled quickly. I became almost despairing in my misery because I didn’t know how to do my job, didn’t feel supported, and didn’t know how to ask for help.

At the core of it all: I wanted to help people. But I should have admitted sooner that ministry wasn’t the method by which I would help them. I became a “professional Christian,” and my own relationship with God suffered greatly.

26 Years Later: Finding the Answer

Why share all this? Why talk about failed goals and times when I wasn’t where I needed to be?

Because through 26 years of writing goals and working to achieve them, I finally figured out how I help people. I’ve discovered why I’m here. And now, I’m working to help others do the same.

There’s a famous quote: “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.” Now that I know why I’m here—to help people, to meet them where they are, to keep working on myself so I’m an example—it all works together.

The Pattern Behind Achievement

Looking over 25 years of notes, I see things I’ve accomplished and many things I haven’t. Here’s what I’ve learned: I accomplish things when I know why I’m doing them. When I understand my purpose.

The purpose of the 7-40 Challenge is exactly this: to use myself as the lab rat and demonstrate through my own life whether seven habits practiced over 40 days, with deliberate intent and built-in time for rest and recharge, can build sustainable change. Can this approach help build a community and help other people do the same—with authenticity, honesty, and a genuine desire to fulfill what I was put here for?

To help people.

That’s my goal. That’s where we’re headed in 2026.

What about you? Have you found your “why” yet? Or are you still searching? Drop a comment—I’d love to hear where you are on this journey.

See you tomorrow for Day 3.

Embarking on the 7-40 Challenge: Welcome to 2026

January 2, 2026 ~ David Willis ~ Leave a comment

Hello, friends. Welcome to 2026!

It’s January 1st, and I’m thrilled to kick off Round One of the 7-40 Challenge. This year, I’ve decided to make 2026 the most purposeful year of my life. To do that, I’m using my 7-40 framework: seven core habits practiced in 40-day cycles to build sustainable transformation.

As Winston Churchill once said, “To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.” This year isn’t about perfection. It’s about purposeful, consistent change that compounds over time.

Some of you followed my 7-40 posts in 2025. You’ll recognize many of the same foundational habits, but with fresh additions and a deeper commitment. Here’s what the seven habits look like for 2026.

My Seven Foundational Habits

1. Daily Bible Study and Prayer

I’ve signed up for a one-year Bible reading plan and started strong this morning. As it has been for years, this remains my core habit—everything else flows from it. Charles Spurgeon put it well: “A Bible that’s falling apart usually belongs to someone who isn’t.”

2. Exercise: One Hour Daily

During each 40-day sprint, I’ll exercise for at least one hour a day. I’ll keep moving during reflection weeks too. This isn’t a rigid regime—it’s purposeful. I’ll listen to my body, take occasional rest days when needed, and focus on what serves my goals. My mix: weightlifting, daily walking, and yoga. I’m following DDP Yoga (more on why I love it in a future post).

3. Daily Calorie Tracking

I love food—sometimes too much. To stay honest, I’ll track calories and macros every day. My aim isn’t just weight loss; it’s giving my body the balanced nutrition it needs to thrive.

4. Water Intake: 100 Ounces Daily

Water and I have a complicated relationship. Some days I’m great at it; others, not so much. But it’s essential. My goal: at least 100 ounces daily—roughly three 32-ounce bottles or twelve 8-ounce glasses.

5. Reading: 30 Minutes Daily

I’ll read or listen to books for at least 30 minutes each day. In 2025, this habit brought fresh ideas and new perspectives—even on books I’d read before. It was one of the most rewarding parts of the challenge.

6. Creative Projects: Daily Progress

This year I’m opening up more about my creative work.

I’ve finished the first draft of a novel and will revise it with the goal of pitching to agents or publishers—or self-publishing via Amazon KDP.
I’m starting a personal memoir to capture and share stories from my life.
I’ll continue posting here and on social channels about the 7-40 journey.

But here’s the real experiment: I’m using myself as the lab rat. No more theory—just real results, authentic experience, and personal testimony.

7. Gratitude: Weekly Practice

Each week I’ll pause to express deep gratitude for:

God, who loves and saved me
My wife, who has walked with me through 27 years of marriage
My son, now a remarkable young man
Dear friends, parents, and in-laws
My job and the wonderful people I work with

Throughout the year, I’ll also reflect on the moments that shaped me—times when God’s grace or others’ help carried me through. Gratitude changes everything, and I have so much to be thankful for.

My Big Audacious Goal for 2026

I want to positively impact at least 1,000 people.

I may never know all their names or meet them in person. That’s okay. My hope is to brighten days, spark hope, and show what’s possible.

If a 47-year-old guy who’s 50 pounds overweight, who has wasted time dreaming instead of doing, who has beaten cancer twice by God’s grace—if I can look in the mirror and commit to real change, to achieving long-held goals, to loving people more intentionally—then anyone can.

That’s the message I want to live out and share.

Join Me

The 7-40 Challenge runs all year: seven 40-day habit cycles, woven with reflection weeks, celebrations, and (hopefully) a growing community supporting one another.

If this resonates, come along for the ride. Share your own habits in the comments, follow along on social, or simply cheer from the sidelines—every bit helps.

See you tomorrow for Day 2. Let’s make 2026 count.

Day 14 of the 7-40 Challenge: Becoming Who I’m Meant to Be

August 11, 2025 ~ David Willis ~ Leave a comment

Good evening, my friends! As the sun sets on week two of the 7-40 Challenge—that’s 14 days straight of committing to seven daily habits over 40 days—I’m filled with a profound sense of gratitude and excitement. This isn’t just a checklist of tasks; it’s a bold pursuit of personal growth, a relentless chase after my goals, and a test of how far I can push myself when I truly set my mind to it. If you’ve been following along, you know this challenge is about more than achievement—it’s about transformation. And today, I want to inspire you to join me in that transformation, because every small step today shapes the extraordinary person you’ll become tomorrow.

Picture this: It was a fantastic weekend, capped off by a powerful sermon at Life.Church that hit me right in the soul. The pastor’s words echoed like a clarion call: “It’s not as much about what you do in the future as who you are becoming today.” Wow. In that moment, everything clicked. For years, I’ve known the “right” things to do—heck, most of us do. But knowledge alone doesn’t build empires or change lives. It’s discipline, that quiet, daily grind, that forges us into something different than we could have ever imagined.

Let me be real with you: I’ve never struggled with understanding what needs to be done. My Achilles’ heel? Actually doing it. Sound familiar? You know the drill—losing weight seems straightforward on paper. Track your calories, burn more than you consume, lace up those sneakers for an hour of exercise, and steer clear of those late-night temptations. The math is simple, but execution? That’s where the battle rages. For me, food has been a crutch during stress, a comforting escape that’s led to too many high-calorie slip-ups at the worst times. It’s a classic story, one shared by so many of us.

But here’s the game-changer: Committing to this daily practice—counting calories, hitting that workout, and sharing my progress here for accountability—has shifted everything. It’s not about the distant finish line; it’s about the person I’m sculpting right now, in these small, consistent moments. As Aristotle wisely said centuries ago, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” Those words from ancient Greece resonate deeply, reminding us that true greatness isn’t born from grand gestures but from the habits we nurture day in and day out.

Now, don’t get me wrong—the pastor wasn’t dismissing big dreams. Far from it! Life is fleeting; tomorrow isn’t promised, as I’ve learned through my own brushes with mortality. Yet, in acknowledging our fragility, we’re also awakened to our immense potential. We’re crafted in the image of the ultimate Creator—God Himself. Genesis 1:27 declares, “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” And Psalm 139:13-14 beautifully affirms, “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”

If we’re made in the likeness of the One who spoke the universe into existence, then we’re wired to dream, to innovate, to build beauty from chaos. We’re born creators! But with that comes a sacred balance: chasing audacious goals while cultivating the character that sustains them. The Bible is rich with guidance on this. The Ten Commandments outline boundaries to protect our integrity and to honor God, while Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7 calls us to be the light of the world—merciful, pure in heart, peacemakers, holy. And in his letters, the Apostle Paul urges us in Ephesians 4:32 to “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” And so much more.

So, who are we becoming? Are we trustworthy people that others can lean on? Dependable friends who show up in the storms? Uplifting voices that inspire rather than tear down? These are the qualities my 7-40 Challenge is honing in me, rooted in daily Bible study and prayer. I want God’s Word to mold me to make me more like Jesus. As Proverbs 4:25-27 instructs, “Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways.”

You might be reading this and thinking, “That’s great for you, but faith isn’t my thing.” I get it. Yet, I think we can agree on this: Small, intentional actions, repeated daily, propel us toward the best version of ourselves, whatever that looks like for you. Whether it’s conquering a fitness goal, advancing your career, or nurturing relationships, consistency is the secret sauce. As the great inventor Thomas Edison once said, “Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.” It’s that daily sweat equity that turns dreams into reality. It is doing what needs to be done every day to become who we are supposed to be.

What are you working on right now? Who are you becoming in these everyday moments? How will the habits you’re building today carry you into a brighter future? Drop your thoughts in the comments below—I’d love to hear your stories, your struggles, and your victories. Let’s motivate each other, inspire one another, and remember: The masterpiece you’re creating isn’t just what you achieve—it’s who you become along the way.

Keep pushing, keep growing. You’ve got this!