It is already quite late at night while I’m writing these lines. I have been busy working on some JavaScript stuff all day. So much so in fact that I almost missed on my commitment. I was trying to write everyday lately and today I failed to spent the time that would have been necessary to output anything satisfying. So what should we do when such things happen ?
Picture ; you are trying to build a routine. None of it is automated yet. The whole process is still very much effortful. This is a very crucial point in time. The expression that comes to mind is “make-or-break”. Missing a day when you are already functioning as a well oiled machine is a minor inconvenience at most ; you will get back into the groove as if nothing happened by the next day. You won’t even have to think about it : your normal will return. But the beginning stage of a new habit hits different. Every single victory counts. Because with each defeat, we are losing territory that we fought hard to acquire. Each day is only moving the needle by this much and we know this. It takes many to get some, and very little to lose most of the progress. Missing a day in this case is order of magnitudes more significant than barely missing a day. It also means that it will be a lot harder to push again the next day. I bet you could sense in real-time that the habit is fading out of consciousness and will soon be entirely forgotten if only you were paying attention. How many of those started projects have you buried somewhere deep within your memory already ? You know the story.
So it matters that you do it today. Even though you have lost that battle already. It matters that you show up for that fight even though nothing good will come out of it. Forget about that nice written and well thought out blog-post you would have liked to write. Forget about the thousand words mark. Forget about all of it. You have lost. You are not fighting for today anymore. You are fighting so that tomorrow’s fight will be easier.
So please, do some. There is no need for much. The goal is consistency. Write a single word if that’s all you can manage. Just try not to skip that damn day.
But if you do, please do not dwell on it either ; this is highly counterproductive ! We are only human afterall.
Bonne chance et bon courage !