In the first episode of “Catching Up With Corey,” We explore the concept of success. I share my personal definition, citing retirement from the military in 2021 as a significant achievement. We also discussed how success is subjective, influenced by our individual goals and perceptions. We highlight Nalah’s academic and professional success, despite them feeling unsuccessful, and my own blogging journey, where I felt successful despite low readership. Finally, we emphasize that success is about the journey and the steps taken towards one’s goals, not just the end result.
We’ve all heard the sayings: “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” “An apple a day keeps the doctor away,” and “Do it right the first time so you don’t have to repeat it later.”
These sayings are warning us—nudging us—to take proactive steps now to prevent negative outcomes later. And usually, they pop into our heads right when we’re about to do something we probably know isn’t in our best interest. Like eating a double bacon blue burger instead of the healthier meal, I’ve been craving all day. Or choosing binge-watching the last season of Cobra Kai before the new movie hits theaters instead of going to get in that walk.
Whatever the situation, these reminders push us toward the choice that’s better for us in the long run.
This week, while I haven’t completely neglected my fitness, I have slowed down a bit. I recently finished my second 10K of the year (my fourth race), and my mind started whispering, “Yeah, you deserve a break.”
River Run, Wichitas KS, 2025
Well, small breaks have a funny way of turning into weeks. And by the time I made it back to the gym, my body was loudly reminding me why that extended break wasn’t such a good idea.
We do the same thing with money. We reach a milestone, hit a goal, and then ease up because we feel we’ve earned the right to relax. And while rest is essential, so is momentum. Like my fitness break, financial breaks can quickly turn into hard stops—and those are much more difficult to recover from.
There’s still more work to do. There’s always more we can do to ensure the peak performance of both our bodies and our budgets.
Now, I’m not saying you have to be “on” 100% of the time. Breaks are a necessary part of growth and sustainability. But I am cautioning you against letting breaks turn into full-on stops.
When it comes to fitness, use low-impact exercises to keep the habit alive, even during rest phases. Things like stretching, walking, or yoga can keep your momentum going while still allowing for recovery.
And with your finances, make sure your “pause” doesn’t derail your plan. When my family was in the middle of our debt eradication journey, we created a “Debt-Free Dream Sheet”—a list of things we wanted to do once we reached our goal. Whenever we felt like we needed a break, we scheduled a reward from the list—but then we got right back on track. That plan kept us focused and fired up.
Here are a few tips to stay motivated on your financial and fitness journey:
Keep your goals visible. Use vision boards or financial dashboards.
Reward small wins. Celebrate progress without overspending.
Use your “why” as fuel. When things get tough, remember what you’re working toward.
The Bottom Line:
Your actions today shape your tomorrow. Whether you’re trying to build a healthier body or a stronger financial future, putting systems in place to prevent your “breaks” from becoming breakdowns will keep you on course.
Stay physically and financially fit.
—Corey
By the way! Stay tuned for next week’s release of my upcoming podcast, Catching up with Corey where I talk to everyday people about how they define and create success! If you’re not already following me be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss the launch!
The word “success” gets thrown around a lot. I mean A WHOLE LOT!
We see it in job titles, on social media, in awards, promotions, and material gains. We seek it in all our endeavors — both personal and professional. But if you take a moment to sit still—just you and your thoughts—what really defines success for you?
That’s the question I’ve wrestled with for quite a while. From my time in the military, even today. It’s also the question that sparked the idea for my new podcast, Catching Up with Corey. With this podcast, I’m not only reaching back to talk to people who I viewed as having the success I wanted, but I’m also reaching out to people around me who just exude an air of success. I want to know their definition, habits, and methods for dealing with both success and failure. In our very first episode, I sit down with someone who knows me better than most—my daughter and producer, Nalah Monet—and she immediately flips the script on me. Instead of me doing the asking, she puts me on the hot seat… And it’s only the first episode!
Her first question? “Daddy, what does success mean to you?”
I’ve worn a lot of hats in my life—veteran, blogger, father, husband—and like many of you, I’ve experienced both the pride of hitting goals and the quiet frustration of feeling like they didn’t mean as much as I hoped they would. I shared with Nalah that the moment I retired from the military was one of the clearest instances in my life where I felt I had done it. I had set a goal, worked relentlessly, and saw it through to the end. According to society’s standards—and frankly, my own at the time—I had succeeded, I was a success.
But then Nalah challenged me. She asked not just about what I’ve achieved, but how those achievements made me feel—and if my understanding of success might evolve as I continued these conversations with others. And that’s when the real heart of the podcast emerged.
You see, this show isn’t about glorifying hustle culture or highlighting millionaires. Catching Up with Corey is about unpacking the profoundly personal and often unconventional paths we all take in pursuit of our dreams. In this first episode, we explore how success isn’t always something you can touch or quantify—it’s a feeling, a mindset, a quiet knowing that you’re moving toward something meaningful, even if nobody else sees it.
I also reflect on moments when, by traditional standards, I shouldn’t have felt successful, such as when I was consistently blogging to an audience of nine people who didn’t comment or provide any engagement, but I still did. Why? Because I was doing something I loved, and I was doing it for me. While I hope that my work touches and encourages others, I can’t force them to engage. All I can do is do the work that I love and enjoy.
This podcast is for anyone who has ever set a goal, doubted themselves along the way, and kept going anyway. It’s for those defining or redefining what “making it” means on their own terms.
So, before Episode 1 drops, I invite you to ask yourself: What does success actually look like in your life?Is it a title? A feeling? A completed project? Or simply the courage to try?
I hope you’ll tune in, reflect with us, and maybe even define or redefine your own version of success.
Corey Stokes 
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