Not perfect

Thursday, June 27

I had worked out every day since November 29. I missed the 3 days before that due to being sick and unable to get out of bed, or the streak would’ve started on October 9th.

202 straight days. Until last week. I was out of town for 3 days and was not in a place where I could bring equipment or had access to anything. So I missed two days (it would’ve been 3, but I did a workout at 3a before heading to the airport).

I know it’s weird, but it messed with my head a bit. I love tracking systems and I hate breaking streaks (I’ve mentioned it before, but I use an app called Ladder to both structure and keep track of my workouts. I give it my highest recommendation, especially for busy people). It eats at the competitive side of me.

In the past, breaking that streak would’ve ended everything. No matter what it was, I would’ve just been done. I would believe that if I broke the streak then what was the point of starting it again. Again, my brain is weird.

Well, it used to be weird(er). Now I’ve trained my brain to be able to get over issues like this. While it still annoyed me, I simply started back over when I got home. I’ve built the discipline of working out, so that missing a day or two doesn’t brea​k the habit. It’s a mindset of consistency, not perfection.

And it’s been my mantra for any habit I pursue. I don’t need to be perfect, I need to be consistent. It allows for mistakes, off days, imperfection. Because the journey is never perfect.

We’re almost halfway through the year. You had goals in January. You had a vision for who you wanted to be and what you wanted to do. Maybe you recently established goals you want to accomplish. With that comes challenges, obstacles, adversity. Maybe you also believed the lie that you hit your goals means you need to be perfect.

Today might be the day you need to start again. And remind yourself that you don’t need to be perfect. You need to be consistent.
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Keep chopping wood. 🪵🪓

-Kevin