In January’s newsletter, I wrote about consistency over intensity and how small habits, repeated over time, create lasting change. I stand by that. But here’s what I didn’t mention: even the best habits can start to feel stale. What happens when you’re still showing up consistently, but you’ve stopped making progress?
As many of you know, health, wellness, and physical activity are non-negotiables for me. Lacey and I are regulars at our local rec center and a neighborhood yoga studio. We get outside whenever we can. Every weekend, we block out our workouts for the week ahead with the same intentionality we bring to our work calendars. We have a “movement” mindset coupled with a solid system, and it works.
The challenge? That system hasn’t evolved much in recent years. There’s nothing wrong with it. We’ve been consistent. We just realized we weren’t being challenged as much as we could be. We had plateaued.
So we did something that felt a little uncomfortable: we joined a new gym, one that offers small group training for adults and athletes. (We are decidedly not athletes.) The coaches are new. The workouts are new. The people are new. We’re out of our comfort zone again, and it’s challenging us in all the right ways. In fact, there’s a small sign on the front door of the new gym that says, “1% Better Today.” It’s exactly the mindset we were looking for.
What I’m Learning
Feeling stuck in a routine isn’t always a sign that your habit is failing. Sometimes it’s a sign that you’ve outgrown the version of it you’ve been doing. Here’s what’s helping us navigate that:
The habit stays. The method can change. You don’t have to abandon what’s working. You might just need to refresh how you do it. Think of it as the same commitment with a different execution. We didn’t stop using our rec center. We just added something new to meet a different need right now.
Discomfort means you’re growing. If your habit feels too easy or too routine, you’re probably coasting. Growth requires a little discomfort, and that’s where progress happens.
Small experiments keep you engaged. You don’t need to change everything up. Try one new thing: a different meeting format, a new time slot for strategic thinking, a fresh approach to that weekly check-in. The novelty itself can reignite your commitment.
Your Turn
If you’re feeling stuck in a habit that used to energize you, consider asking yourself:
– Is this habit no longer working or have I just gotten too comfortable?
– What’s one small thing I could change about how I do this?
Then try this: pick one habit that’s feeling routine and change just one variable this week. The time. The location. The people involved. The format. See what shifts.
Consistency creates the foundation, but growth keeps you moving forward. Sometimes that means being willing to refresh what’s working, even when it’s already good.
As always, reach out if I can help.
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