The Truth About Building Consistency in Your Life

Read time: 5 minutes

About once a month or so, my family will have dinner with my parents. And every time I hug and greet my dad, he hits me with the same question:

“Man, you know you’re slim and athletic. You still working out?”

My answer is always the same—“Yup, I haven’t stopped.”

This interaction reminds me of other questions I commonly receive.

• How do you maintain a minimalist home?
• How are you keeping things clutter-free with kids?
• How did you grow your YouTube channel?
• How are you so comfortable speaking in front of a camera?

“Consistency.”

By now, you’ve heard this advice at least a million times—from YouTubers, entrepreneurs, athletes, organizing experts, coaches, and even newsletter writers.

And they’re all right.

Consistency is the difference maker. It’s the one common thread behind every success story.

But here’s the problem: No one ever tells you how to be consistent—and let’s be honest, it’s easier said than done.

The Standard Consistency Logic

Here me out—I’m typically the first person to tell someone to take a step back and take a break. Give yourself grace and an opportunity to gather your thoughts. In certain situations, this can be the best thing for you. However, it should never be the default. Let me explain.

A lot of people make the mistake of thinking that they’ll be able to be more consistent by taking a few days off here and there. But what often happens is the opposite. Skipping days makes it harder to stay on course.

Life gets chaotic, motivation fades, discipline wavers, and consistency breaks.

Before you know it, you’re back to square one, wondering where the momentum went.

What if I told you that it’s easier to stick with something every day than do it just most days?

This might feel counterintuitive at first, but it will undoubtedly change how you approach your goals.

Every Day Is Easier Than Most Days

When you commit to something every day, it becomes part of your lifestyle—your daily routine. It’s no longer about forcing yourself to follow through—it just is. And you won’t have to think about it constantly because it’s simply who you are.

However, when you skip days, you risk breaking that flow, that rhythm. The longer you go without doing something, the harder it becomes to get back to it. That’s why the best way to build momentum is by showing up every day, even when it feels small.

Making Consistency Part of Your Lifestyle

A huge mistake I see people make is trying to go from 0 to 100 on a lifestyle change:

• You’re trying to get consistent with your workouts, so you commit to an hour per day.
• You’re trying to get consistent with decluttering and owning fewer things, so you jump from not decluttering to tackling everything all at once.
• You’re trying to get consistent with reading, writing, or some other creative activity, so you plan to lock in for two hours a day.

Even worse, you try to go from 0 to 100 on multiple lifestyle changes at once.

This is a recipe for failure.

So, how do you make consistency stick? How do you turn it into something that feels natural and sustainable?

Make consistency part of your lifestyle—meaning progression instead of perfection. Here’s how to think about this.

Imagine the lifestyle change you’re after as a muscle. You can’t bench press 10-pound dumbbells one day, then grab the 100-pound dumbbells the next day, and expect it to go well. You’re going to fail, get discouraged, and quit.

Instead, use Progressive Overload, a strength training principle of slowly adding “load” to the muscle to spark its growth:

• Want to develop a workout habit? Start with 15 minutes daily for a week, then 20 minutes for a week, then 25 minutes for a week, and so on.
• Want to become completely clutter-free? Start by focusing on a single project for 15 minutes a day for a week. Add 15 minutes each week until all your projects are complete and you reach your desired goals.
• Want to get consistent with reading, writing, or another creative activity? Start with 10 minutes daily for a week. Then 15 minutes for a week, then 20 minutes for a week, and so on until you reach your desired time.

As a rule, only focus on one lifestyle change at a time.

You don’t need to change your life in a day, but if you slowly change your days, you’ll eventually change your life.

The Role of Accountability in Staying Consistent

I started what I call my clarity journey more than a decade ago now, and there are two things I’ve realized after reflecting on the last several years:

1. The harsh reality is that consistency is lonely. Few will support you on the path. In fact, you will probably lose friends as you grow.
2. With any new endeavor I set my sails toward, one factor has kept me honest and on track: Accountability.

It can be hard to do things alone, but accountability plays a huge role in making consistency easier.

Whether through friends, family, or a community of like-minded individuals, having support and a space to share your progress and keep each other motivated is an unfair advantage.

But the key is to surround yourself with people who are equally committed.

So, find someone who is also working toward a goal and hold each other accountable. Even if it’s just checking in daily or weekly, that small step can make all the difference.

And the best part? When you surround yourself with the right people, you’re not doing it alone—you’re making consistency easier together.

The Bottom Line

Consistency is easier every day, so make it part of your lifestyle.

Don’t worry about perfection—just show up every day. Little by little, you’ll start to notice that consistency becomes easier, and soon, it’s no longer something you have to do—it’s just who you are.

Here’s a simple actionable plan I hope you consider:

1. Start by committing to one small habit. It could be as simple as writing for 10 minutes a day or doing a quick workout. If you focus on just this one habit first, you’ll find that everything else becomes easier.
2. Commit to doing it every day. Don’t let one missed day become an excuse to give up. Sometimes, things won’t go according to plan. It’s ok. It happens. The key is bouncing back and continuing the next day.
3. Find accountability. Share your goal with a friend, a mentor, or a community that supports you. Check in regularly, whether it’s daily or weekly. Hold yourself and each other accountable.
4. Review your progress weekly. Celebrate your wins, no matter how small, and reflect on what’s working. This keeps you motivated and gives you a chance to adjust if needed.

If you stick to this simple routine, you’ll feel more aligned, more confident, and more energized. You’ll build momentum that keeps you moving forward, and over time, that small daily habit will snowball into something bigger and more meaningful.

See you next Sunday, my friend.