Remember that thing you dreamt of doing, but kept putting off? For me, it was 100 push-ups in a row – a silly fitness goal I chased for years. Then there was the songwriting… Unfinished melodies filling my mind. Seemed like I lacked the talent, time, whatever excuse fit the day. Truth is, I lacked consistency. But then something clicked…

My ‘before and after’ with the push-up challenge is embarrassing. Old me: Burst of motivation, followed by a max-out session… then wait for the soreness to fade. Repeat this torture a few times a month, wondering why I was stuck at 45 reps. Then I finally got smart. Small sets, multiple times a week. Suddenly,  100 push-ups weren’t a distant dream, but an inevitability.

It also dawned on me that my songwriting suffered from the same ‘wait for motivation’ disease. Melody stuck in my head, but those lyrics? My brain felt like a sloth. How could I get it to speed up a little? Then I committed to simple melodies – ONE per day, even if they were rough. That consistency cracked something open. Soon, I was releasing a finished song every month.

And get this – remember how I’ve always preached about writing consistently? Well, after years of unfinished writing projects, I finally took my own advice. Small word counts, but DAILY or close to it. The result?  I’m now on my FOURTH short story at the time of writing this post (7 to date, soon 8). Living proof this consistency thing isn’t just a theory!

Turns out, the same principle applies to any goal. That’s the power of habit – turning struggle into second nature. Our brains crave routine, so we can turn this to our advantage. Of course, everyone’s different, but the point is, we ALREADY have the ability to transform what seems impossible into the inevitable.  Ask yourself: What’s ONE thing you’re ready to make as automatic as brushing your teeth or scrolling through social media ? Imagine the possibilities if we gave one goal the same daily attention!

Remember, consistency isn’t about perfection, it’s about showing up.

Another crucial thing to consider is our focus. The goal shouldn’t just be the finished product, but the consistent act of creating itself. That’s when things start to change.

Let’s be honest though. There will be times when we reach a plateau. We’re slogging with our writing, art or other project but it feels like a chore.  No joy. That’s exactly how I felt about this blog a while back…My initial excitement had fizzled out, the readership had dwindled… It seemed like I was shouting into a void. I almost gave up entirely.

But then I realized something: Even if the world didn’t notice my work, it was still valuable to ME. So, I committed to consistency. Just one blog post a week, not for applause, but for the act of creation itself. Turns out, that invisible work mattered. It’s like a muscle we barely notice growing until suddenly, we’re stronger.

Months later, the joy returned. The engagement too. My writing also improved because I was simply doing it, instead of overthinking it…

Now I can hear you saying ” it sounds really good but my problem is lack of time“. If that’s the case, consider this:

Point 1: Think about what we could accomplish with just 30 minutes a day. That’s over 3 hours each week, and more than 150 hours over a year! Imagine what we could create, learn, or improve with that dedicated time. 30 minutes isn’t too much to find. It could even be split between 15 minutes in the morning,  15 minutes in the evening.

Point 2: How we spend our time is a choice. When we say, “We don’t have time,” often, what we mean is, “This isn’t our priority right now.” Is it time to re-prioritize?

Point 3: Where does our time go? The average UK adult checks their phone every 12 minutes during waking hours. That’s over 6 hours a day!  Even if that’s not the case for you, think about your commuting, waiting in line, those gaps between tasks… All that time adds up. Imagine repurposing all these idle moments!

Challenge yourself to download a time-tracking app on your phone for one week if you don’t have one built-in. You might be surprised at where your minutes vanish, and where you could find new pockets of time for your goals.

We first make our habits, then our habits make us

John Dryden

The Mini-Commitment Challenge

Ready to put these tips into action? Here’s your challenge:

• Choose ONE tip from the list above that resonates most with you.
• Apply it consistently for the next 7 days.
• Examples: Set a 20-minute daily writing timer, turn waiting time into brainstorming sessions, etc.
• Share Your Journey: How did it feel to be consistent? Let us know in the comments for support and celebration!

Reflect, Redefine, Rise.

R.