Effectively Consistent

Recently, a reader asked me how long it took for consistency to feel easy. Like, what’s my secret? First of all, did you know I always reply when you respond to these emails? (Try it!) Second, the truth is... it’s still not easy. I find it embarrassingly hard to keep certain habits going. I don’t wake up motivated, and things haven’t magically gotten easier over time. I just force myself to do them. I rely on a few frameworks that help. So today, I’m sharing what I’ve learned about staying consistent, even when you don’t feel like it.

Tip of the Week: Consistency isn’t about motivation, it’s about knowing yourself and setting things up so you follow through, no matter what.

THE THEORY

Seinfeld’s “Never Miss Twice” Rule: Jerry Seinfeld’s habit trick is simple: mark an “X” on the calendar every day you do the thing. The goal is to keep the streak alive. But if you miss a day? Fine. Just don’t miss two in a row. One miss is an accident. Two becomes a new habit (the habit of not doing it). This also ties into something I’ve noticed firsthand: some habits are easier when done daily instead of “a few times a week.” If you plan to do something three times a week, you waste mental energy deciding which three and you also give yourself more permission to fail. When it’s daily, it becomes automatic. No negotiating with yourself.

Habit Loops: Cue → Routine → Reward. Charles Duhigg’s The Power of Habit explains how all habits follow this loop: (1)Cue is the trigger that prompts the habit. (e.g., laying out gym clothes the night before.); (2) Routine is the action itself. (e.g., going to the gym after work.); and (3) Reward is the prize you give yourself. (e.g., your favorite coffee that afternoon, but only if you went). If a habit feels hard to keep, something in the loop is likely broken. Maybe the cue is too vague. Maybe the reward isn’t motivating enough. Tune the loop until it flows.

MY PERSONAL THOUGHTS

Hard things never really get easier, you just get better at showing up. I don’t find consistency easy. I rely on scheduling. I join accountability groups. I even ask my coach (via an app) to call me out if I skip. For example, I post daily on LinkedIn because I’m in a group chat where we all report in. I lift weights 4x a week because my coach checks in (and yes, is a little passive-aggressive). It works.

Progress is not linear. Expect plateaus. When you start a habit, progress is obvious. You get stronger, sharper, faster. Then it levels off. You can feel stuck for weeks… until one day, things click again. That’s where most people quit. But if you stick with it, the breakthroughs come. Look back at an early edition of this newsletter and compare it to now. I’ve improved, but you wouldn’t notice it week to week. That’s how most progress works.

HOW TO PUT THIS INTO PRACTICE

1. Pick one thing. Start small. Read one page. Write one paragraph. Do one push-up. The key is starting.

2. Track your streak. Use a physical calendar, a sticky note, even your Zoom background. Make your progress visible (both to yourself and maybe others).

3. Find a cue. Anchor your habit to something you already do. Stretch after coffee. Write after shutting your laptop. Tie it to something familiar.

4. Make it daily, if possible. If the habit fits into your workdays, make it a daily routine. This removes the “should I do it today?” debate.

5. Put it on your calendar. Treat it like a meeting. No rescheduling. No ghosting.

6. Reward yourself. Don’t rely on long-term outcomes like “getting stronger” or “becoming a better writer.” Add something immediate (e.g., a favorite coffee, a TV show, 30 minutes guilt-free on your favorite app). Hack your brain.

7. Get accountability. When scheduling isn’t enough, find a system of external pressure. A coach, a friend, a group chat -it doesn’t need to be fancy. Just something (or someone) that notices.

Motivation is unreliable. Consistency is a system. Keep showing up.

Consistently,

Jorge Luis Pando