Consistency is Key

I lay in bed, waiting for the day to end, when I’m suddenly struck with that sinking feeling you get when you’ve forgotten to study for a test. I go from sleepy to hyper-alert in seconds because there’s something crucial I’ve completely lost track of: my weekly blog post. Not only will I disappoint myself if I don’t post it, but I’ll also disappoint the five subscribers I have (Everybody starts somewhere, shut up).

Now I’m faced with a decision: do I let it slide and post a day late, or do I sacrifice sleep to get it done and publish it before midnight? You might think this decision is trivial. Maybe you’re even wondering if this story is worth writing about.

But you’d be wrong. This might be one of the most important decisions I’ve made in months. You might think I’m exaggerating—after all, it’s just a blog post for five subscribers. But let me let you in on a little secret: it’s not about the blog post. It’s not even about maintaining a posting streak.

It’s about keeping a promise I made to myself. When I started this blog, I promised myself that one attribute would never waver: consistency. That’s why I decide that sleep isn’t as important as keeping my word, and I finish the blog post on time and publish it.

There’s a specific reason why I chose consistency this time. About two weeks ago, I made the opposite choice. If you look at my post history, you’ll notice a one-week gap. That’s because I went on vacation.

What a silly excuse to break a promise.

This haunts me to this day. Again, not because to keep a superficial streak going. Because I disappointed the ten eyes that are glued to the screen every time I post something (at least that’s how I imagine it), and because I disappointed myself. I wasn’t truthful. I didn’t live up to the person that I want to be.

Here’s another secret: you face similar decisions every single day. You might think they’re insignificant in the grand scheme of things, but they’re not. Every time you break a promise to yourself, it becomes harder to look yourself in the mirror. Skipping the diet to indulge in a croissant for breakfast might not seem like a big deal, but it is. When you consciously fail to live up to the standards you set for yourself, you chip away at the foundation of your self-trust. Slowly but surely, doubt seeps in through the cracks this creates. This might not affect you during low-stakes situations, but the awful truth reveals itself in moments of high stakes. When you need every ounce of strength to face a tough challenge, you’ll remember that you’re not the person you promised yourself you’d be—and in those pivotal moments, you will crumble.

Reality gives me a harsh reminder every time I fail to stick to something: consistency is key. Nothing else.

In the confrontation between the stream and the rock, the stream always wins, not through strength but by perseverance.
― H. Jackson Brown

But here’s the good news: consistency is a muscle—and muscles can be trained.

Just like when you start working out, you start with a light weight. If you want to be more mindful, don’t try to meditate for an hour. Start with five minutes. After a week, increase it to seven minutes. Then to ten. This approach makes it easier to overcome the resistance to engage in the activity and sticking to it.

You might think this sounds eerily like creating habits. You’re correct.

You first create your habits, and then your habits create you.
― somebody really smart, probably

Consistency is fertile ground for habits—good and bad ones. No matter how small the steps, take them consistently. Three push-ups are better than none. Two cheat meals are better than five. One short blog post is infinitely better than not posting at all.

Be truthful to yourself: be consistent.