Have you ever heard the term SISU? I was first introduced to this concept around 15 years ago when I found CrossFit and consumed every piece of content they made. I watched the SISU – The Mikko Salo documentary and this is where the term SISU was first explained to me. I later attended a seminar and trained with Mikko where I questioned him about this extensively.
SISU doesn’t have an exact english translation. Searching online you get meanings that revolve around “extraordinary determination in the face of extreme adversity, and courage that is presented typically in situations where success is unlikely“
But for a long time I’ve understood it as something a little different. When training with Mikko he explained it to me as doing hard things but quietly, behind close doors, and not necessarily looking for any praise.
Either way you look at it or interpret it – SISU is a concept that is well worth understanding and following. It is rooted in Finnish culture and is thought to help people get through tough conditions in remote places, especially in winter.
I like to think of it as a form of “discipline without applause”. External validation feels good. Sharing your workout on social media can feel good. Telling your friend about how hard you’ve been training can feel good.
But discipline is easy to spot. It doesn’t need shouting from the rooftops. Of course, sharing is great for the right reasons – to educate, to inspire, maybe even to motivate. Quiet discipline gets the job done when no one really cares, because let’s be real, no one really cares. Life is busy, everyone has there own things to think about. People are happy for you when you tell them you’ve started training. They get bored when you’re still telling them 6 months later…
They already know – discipline shows.
Back to SISU — how can you apply it?
Well here’s how I use it.
I make sure I do something hard every week. Something I have to think about beforehand. Something I know will hurt. Then I show up and attack it with my best effort.
Success isn’t final. Failure isn’t fatal.
I set non-negotiables when it comes to family, business, and fitness. I don’t let mood or feeling interfere.
Because feelings are temporary.
Discipline is structural.
SISU, to me, is deciding in advance who you are — and then behaving like that person regardless of circumstances.
You don’t train only when motivated.
You train because you said you would.
You don’t eat well only when it’s convenient.
You eat well because that’s the standard you’ve set.
You don’t quit when it gets uncomfortable.
You lean in — quietly.
No speech.
No announcement.
No dramatic social media post.
Just work.
The reason SISU resonates so much in fitness is because training is a controlled environment for adversity. You choose the weight. You choose the pace. You choose to step into discomfort.
And that choice builds something far more valuable than muscle.
It builds identity.
When you repeatedly prove to yourself that you can do hard things — without applause, without external pressure — you start to trust yourself more.
That trust carries over.
Into business.
Into parenting.
Into relationships.
Into the moments that actually matter.
Most people are waiting for motivation.
Very few are building quiet resilience.
And the difference shows over time.
Six months from now, no one will care that you posted your workout.
But you’ll care that you kept your word to yourself.
That’s SISU.
Discipline without applause.
Effort without audience.
Standards without negotiation.
Do hard things.
Not for attention.
Not for validation.
But because that’s who you’ve decided to be.
