Client Story: Sally Harwood, what’s stopping you?

Mike Collette • August 17, 2020

Client Story: Sally Harwood, what’s stopping you?A pair of hands with blue rays coming out of them on a white background.

A woman with a cast on her leg is standing on a porch with a man and two women.

If you’re a morning person at Prototype then you’ve met Sally. She’s one of the sweetest, genuine, and hardest working people that I have ever had the pleasure of meeting in my life. Sally, her husband Brent and daughter Olivia have been training with me before the crack of dawn for close to 10 years and I believe if it was legal they would have adopted me by now!

 

The unfortunate thing is Sally had an accident while running a couple Sunday’s ago and injured her ankle (she’s the Harwood in the middle on crutches if you didn’t know!).

 

After the injury, the first thing she thought about was how she was going to work out (maybe some other things were mixed in there too but I’m going with that!). She texted me and I called her right away… she was still in the ER. I think I said, “don’t worry, I got you!”

 

You see, fitness is really important to Sally, not just for her body but also for her brain. She’s like many of you reading this, the mental benefit of exercise is incredible. It allows you to think more clearly, reduce stress, and manage all of life’s uncertainties a little bit easier. 

 

The reality is not everyone thinks like Sally. She decided a long time ago that fitness and health are a major priority of hers and that she isn’t going to let anything stop her from doing that. I would argue that’s her mindset for everything she does in life. Other people might want to lay low, take a break, or use this as an excuse. Afterall breaking your ankle is a pretty legitimate reason to stop exercising but it’s not everyone’s.

 

So, two days later, she didn’t skip a beat. We trained, we adjusted, and she crushed it. After all, when life gives you lemons…

 

At the end of the day, we all have the ability to make decisions based on our priorities and what’s important to us. If you ask Sally why she’s not waiting until her ankle is fully healed to get back into the swing of things, she would probably first say “so I don’t lose my mind!”, then she would say that she doesn’t need to wait.

 

If you care about something and you know it benefits you, you will do what you have to do. You’ll make the decisions and prioritize those things that are important over the things that aren’t. But first, make a decision!

 

If you’re reading this, I hope Sally’s situation inspires you today. 

 

If you set your alarm tomorrow and feel like putting it back on snooze, I hope you remind yourself that Sally’s already up getting after it on her crutches!

 

If you don’t feel like exercising or staying on top of your fitness plan today, remember that it’s a decision and you’re in control.

 

Remember, decisions lead to habits and those habits lead to traits, consistency matters and when life gives you lemons, make lemonade!

Previous Blogs

By Mike Collette October 21, 2025
Row for Westborough 2025: Community, Competition & $25K Raised for Our Student Athletes!
You can do hard things. Buil
By Mike Collette October 7, 2025
You can do hard things. Read how these members did something hard everyday for 30 days and grew from it!
By Mike Collette October 2, 2025
Mark has been an amazing member, friend, and a huge part of our community for over 10 years. With his family now training at Prototype as well, he continues to share his journey and inspire others. Thank you for being you, Mark—you truly deserve to be our October POM! 1.) Share your experience at Prototype My experience at Prototype is now, and always has been over the last decade plus, incredibly positive! What’s made it even more special over the recent years is my family now being part of the community, and being positively impacted by the environment that Prototype creates. 2.) What is your favorite part about being at Prototype? The community, the relationships, and the positive impact Prototype has had on me and my family over the years. Some of my best friends are now at Prototype. Relationships that have been developed over years of doing tough workouts together, competitions and events inside & outside the gym, golf trips and get togethers. The youth programs and remote coaching programs have also allowed my family to be members of the community which is incredibly important to my wife and I. 3.) What are your hobbies and activities? Pretty much anything outside. But lots of golf, hiking, and sports with my kids. 4.) How has Prototype helped you or solved a problem for you? This would be a long list! One example would be dealing with setbacks. I’ve learned fitness is a long journey, not just a one size fits all fix. There's lots of turns and detours on that journey. Being here for so long my body and my abilities have adapted over time. With all the different things Prototype has to offer, and coaches that are so committed to the members, I’ve continued to be able to find a path forward regardless of the set back of change in my abilities. Another example would be resiliency. Stay on path isn’t easy, especially when that path seems like it never ends. Through Prototype, and side programs I’m part through Prototype, I’ve been building the resiliency muscles which has had a huge impact on my personal health & life as well as my professional life. 5.) What are you continuing fitness goals to this point? -Continue to do hard things. Put something in the calendar each year that kinda scares me and I have to work toward. I want this to be a physical and mental challenge. -Rebuild the strength in my legs, and work towards squatting again. This may require a setback, but something I really want. -Build more muscle! 6.) Favorite Quote You want to go fast, go alone. You want to go far, go together!
More Posts

Climb to New Heights

Prototype Training Systems is more than a gym - it is a lifestyle. Join us today!

Book Free No-Sweat Intro