What if success isn’t about avoiding failure but instead learning how to try again when you do fail?

In this episode, I talk with Steve Kamb, founder of Nerd Fitness and author of How to Try Again. Steve built a global fitness community of over 50,000 members and 20 coaches, gave a TEDx talk, and has worked with companies like Google and Facebook. But he’s also faced procrastination, perfectionism, and personal setbacks. We explore why constant optimization doesn’t always work, and how accepting failure and learning to restart might be the real key to lasting progress.

Key Takeaways

Stop trying to win for a moment and focus on staying afloat. Sometimes the most courageous move is not making progress but treading water long enough to see what tomorrow brings.
Accept your reality with complete sincerity and compassion. Acceptance is not resignation or giving up. It is looking clearly at what is actually happening so you can decide what to do next.
Recognize that change often feels more like caterpillar goo than a beautiful transformation. The messy middle is not evidence that you're failing. It is often evidence that real change is happening.

Episode Highlights

When everything crumbles all at once and you're forced to actually live the very advice you're writing about.
Brett Archibald's unbelievable survival story and what it teaches about swimming in the wrong direction.
Acceptance without resignation and how to face reality without losing hope.
Why waiting for things to "get back to normal" may be the most dangerous habit of all.
The concept of "yes, and" as a practical framework for navigating uncertainty.
Caterpillar soup: the uncomfortable truth about what transformation actually looks like.
Why Atomic Habits works for many people and what happens when consistency becomes impossible.
The mindset shift that starts with: “You don’t have to”
How vulnerability helps you find people who will do the thing with you
Why chasing perfection paralyze creativity, and embracing your voice unlocks breakthrough
What future Steve would tell his 10-years-younger self about success, failure, and change

Recommended Next Episode

Useful Resources

Guest Bio

Steve Kamb is an author and full-time internet writer who has been publishing online since 2010. He is the founder of Nerd Fitness, an organization he launched as a hobby in 2009 that expanded into a global health and wellness community with millions of readers. Steve is a dedicated bookworm, gamer, and cinephile who explores behavior change and personal development through his weekly newsletter, Level Up With Steve Kamb. He is a TEDx speaker who has delivered presentations for major corporations and Vanderbilt University. His published work includes the book Level Up Your Life and his June 2026 release, How to Try Again.

Steve’s Website | Nerd Fitness

Steve’s Books: How To Try Again | Level Up Your Life

Steve’s Substack | Threads | Instagram | Youtube

Show Credits

Edited by: Curtis Fritsch

Published by: Vim Pangantihon

Music by: Thomas Cepeda

Feel Like a Failure? Learn How to Try Again When Life Isn’t Going Your Way | with Steve Kamb

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Feel Like a Failure? Learn How to Try Again When Life Isn’t Going Your Way | with Steve Kamb