Consistency over intensity
why do I burn out every January
A small action repeated reliably outperforms a large action performed rarely, because adaptation responds to frequency of signal rather than size of it. Ten minutes daily changes a body and a mind more than three hours once a fortnight.
What to do about it
Halve the size of the habit until you can do it on your worst day.
Books that work on this
Each is a 90-day programme. Start with the first — later books assume the work in the earlier ones.
Crushing Soft Habits$6.99
Show Up Anyway$6.99
Drag The Wand$6.99
Quit Negotiating With Yourself$6.99
No One Cares$6.99
The Discipline Blueprint$6.99
Discipline Over Motivation$6.99
The Iron Routine$6.99Part of the Discipline series.
How people say it
Nobody looks this up by its clinical name. These are the ways it actually gets said.
- I go all in then quit
- why do I burn out every January
- all or nothing thinking with habits
- better to do a little every day
- I overdo it then stop for months
- small steps vs big changes
- I cannot sustain the routine I set
- why does my streak always break
Written by Brian Spiker, who has run Spiker Carpet and Tile Care since 2013 — the receipts. More terms in the encyclopedia.