The Myth of “Getting Back on Track”: Letting Go of Urgency, Control, and the Pressure to Be Perfect

You know that phrase, “I just need to get back on track.”

I’ve said it more times than I can count.

For years, that track was everything to me. It shaped my relationship with food, my body, and my business. It was the path I thought I had to follow to be successful, worthy, and in control.

But here’s the truth I’ve come to see so clearly: The track isn’t real. It’s an illusion built from urgency, fear, scarcity, and someone else’s rules.

🎧 You can listen to this topic on my latest podcast episode, The Myth of “Getting Back on Track”, wherever you get your podcasts — or click here to listen now.

The Illusion of Getting Back on Track

We’re told that if we stay on the right track — eat the right way, work hard enough, follow the right plan — we’ll finally “arrive.” But where exactly is there?

The track tells us that if we perform well enough, shrink small enough, or push hard enough, we’ll finally be okay. Yet every time I’ve tried to follow it, I’ve lost myself a little more.

For me, the track showed up in two major areas of my life:

• With my body: Start a diet. Lose weight. Get praise. Gain it back. Feel shame. Start again.

• In my business: Launch something. Hustle. Hit a goal. Burnout. Blame myself. Start again.

Each time I thought I was “off track,” I’d panic and scramble to get back to the version of me who was performing well. But that version of me was exhausted. She was surviving, not thriving.

And eventually, I realized I was never off track.

Because there is no track.

Whose Track Are You On?

The track I thought was mine was actually a map handed to me by diet culture, hustle culture, perfectionism, and fear.

It was shaped by all the messages I absorbed growing up — from teachers, coaches, bosses, even well-meaning family members — people who were doing the best they could with what they were taught.

They believed in the track, too.

And here’s the tender truth: Letting go of the track isn’t easy. It’s not just a mindset shift; it’s an unraveling.

For so many of us, it’s the only way we’ve ever known. We were taught that:

• Progress is linear.

• Worth is earned through discipline.

• Rest is laziness.

• Deviation means failure.

So when I started to release the idea of the track, I had to grieve it. I needed to honor how tightly I’d held it and slowly loosen my grip, one gentle moment at a time.

Recognizing the Voices That Aren’t Yours

One of the biggest shifts for me came when I started asking: “Whose voice is this?”

When I’d catch myself thinking things like:

• “You should be further along.”

• “You’re falling behind.”

• “You need to fix this now.”

I began to notice those thoughts weren’t even mine. They were inherited, echoes of other people’s expectations and fears.

The moment you recognize that, you realize you have a choice. You don’t have to keep carrying those old stories.

The Unraveling Process

This unraveling reminds me of a tangled ball of yarn. You can’t just yank the threads apart because that only makes it worse. You have to pull one thread at a time, very gently.

That’s what this work is like, untangling years of stories about food, body, success, and worth.

It takes time. It takes compassion. And it takes patience.

Here are a few practices that have helped me detach from the illusion of the track:

1. Name the Track You Were Taught

Write it down. What did it promise you? What did it cost you? Maybe it was the “weight loss track,” the “perfect mom track,” or the “successful business track.”

When did you first learn it? Who handed it to you? And how has it shaped the way you see yourself today?

2. Notice When Urgency Shows Up

When you feel that push to “get back on track,” pause. Ask yourself:

• Who or what am I trying to catch up to?

• Is this urgency coming from alignment or fear?

• What would happen if I just took a breath right now?

Sometimes, there’s no one to catch up to; it's just a ghost of expectation.

3. Practice the Pause

Before you take action, ask: “Would I still do this if no one praised me for it?”

That question has changed everything for me. For years, I relied on external praise, especially when it came to weight loss and work. But now, I’ve learned to praise myself. To celebrate my own effort, my own growth, my own voice.

That kind of self-praise is powerful. It’s grounding. And it’s enough.

4. Let Your Body Lead

Your body is wise. She knows your rhythm. She’s not behind or broken — she’s evolving.

Checking in with my body has become one of my most powerful tools.

Even something as simple as deciding what to eat... I pause, listen, and ask:

“How will this feel?”

If my body says no, I trust it. If it’s a yes, I follow it.

When we let our bodies lead, we reconnect to the wisdom that’s always been there beneath the noise of rules and expectations.

5. Surround Yourself with Truth-Tellers

Find people who remind you that your worth isn’t conditional.

People who honor your pace and your process.

People who see you as enough, exactly as you are.

Because those are the voices that help you stay grounded in truth.

What If You’re Not Off Track at All?

Here’s the reframe I want to leave you with:

What if you’re not off track?

What if you’re exactly where you’re meant to be — pausing, recalibrating, remembering who you are?

What if the pause isn’t a detour?

What if that’s the path?

You’re not missing out. You’re not falling behind. You’re just waking up to your truth.

The Way Forward

Here’s what I’m practicing right now:

• Letting go of timelines that don’t honor my nervous system

• Listening to my body, even when it’s inconvenient

• Creating from alignment, not obligation

• Trusting that I don’t need to catch up to be worthy

• Asking the question, "Would I still do this if no one praised me for it?"

Because the truth is, I’m not “getting back on track.”

I’m building something different, something rooted in truth, not urgency.

And if you’re ready to do the same, I’d love to walk with you.

You can always book a 60-minute connection call at amyenglishcc.com, and together we’ll explore what your path could look like without the pressure to perform, to perfect, or to “get back on track.”

Because you’re not behind.

You’re not broken.

You’re just coming home to yourself.

There is no track.

There’s only you.

And that’s more than enough.

xo,

Amy

Amy English

Life Coach | Fat2Fierce®

Fat2Fierce | YouTube | Podcast

Break the Overeating Cycle. Build Self-Trust. Be Free in Your Body.