
Ah, consistency…
Exercise every day!
Brush teeth twice a day!
Write newsletter on Fridays!
“Be consistent.”
or so goes the common advice. But,
- Why bother?
- Can’t consistency be a means of procrastination?
- Where is the line with perfectionism?
The power of consistency is clear. We see it in the practice of any master at their craft. We see it in those who are successful at work or in relationships. Consistency can create a dependability in self and others.
But there are concerns.
It can indeed become its own form of procrastination. Maybe that vital project’s deadline is approaching, and we have yet to set aside the more engaging one for now.
It can indeed become its own perfectionism. For example, using a “Don’t break the chain” method of developing habits can inadvertently become a burden, meaning lost to a husk of existence (“See also the opening scene of Joe vs the Volcano”)
So, can’t consistency become simply another type of force-based work?
Yes, absolutely.
But this is yet one more realm where Visits, as their own unit of work, can become not only powerful but nimble, a flexible way to engage meaningfully with work.
A Visit means fully showing up to something to be with it, and *then* deciding what to do, including doing nothing.
Certainly there is more to it, but that is its essence.
One of the arguments against a visit is:
“What is the point of showing up and doing nothing?”
What’s lost is the vital sense of exposing oneself directly to the emotions of the work. Without that direct exposure, we do not see the cracks, crevices, and nuances of our being in relation to *the thing*, whatever the thing is. Simple, but certainly not easy.
But there is an even greater strength of visits that grows from regular visits, perhaps especially when made daily.
Once we expose ourselves, the mind can now churn in whatever magical ways it tends to churn.
Maybe you sit at the project on one visit. At a next session, maybe you knock out a few sentences, adjust one image, pluck a few strings,.. .
Or not. Either is fine.
Later yet, maybe you do even more, getting into a flow.
Even when you “do nothing”, its magic can still carry forward.
But what’s more important is the process of sitting there at any one of those visits to see what happens, to allow the emotions to be, so you can more deliberately decide what to do.
For example, you can always stop.
*But preferably do so at a Visit.* It’s while you are there that you fully feel the significance of the project, the momentum developed, and more. By *saying goodbye in person*, you can relish the meaning that has formed over time and maybe even better bring its spirit into whatever next adventures await.
As such, consistency never needs to be a chain and can instead be a wave to ride.
– Kourosh
PS. There are many types of insidious force-based methods of work. Consider checking out this post on the matter: How Do You Know if You Are Using a “Force-Based” System of Working?
Productivity is many things. For some, it is about doing a lot in a little time.
But, truly, productivity is so much more. It is about:
- Setting yourself up for success.
- Being focused where you want to be.
- Doing things that you find meaningful.
- Being creative, sometimes even in harsh environments.
- Forging your own paths.
- Finding your voice and delivering it well.
- Knowing and actively deciding on your obligations.
- Knowing where and how to say “no”.
- Avoiding procrastination.
Too often, many of us fall into just going along with and fighting whatever the world throws at us. “Go with the flow!”, we say. Meanwhile, we might think, “I’d like to do that one thing. Maybe one day I will.” The days go by. The goal never arrives, and then we wonder why or blame circumstance.
But when we learn to take charge of our lives and the world
around us, we start living life with intention.
Of course, striking out may seem scary. It takes courage to live life with purpose and on purpose. Roadblocks and worries, fears and concerns show up everywhere.
This is my passion. I want to help you to find that sense of your own unique play to meet the world so that you can:
- Create a life that is yours.
- Find and follow an inner guide in a way that works for you and those you care for.
- Decide on your obligations and meet them while building the world you want.

Just What is a “Wandering Mind”? (Part 2) – A Paradox of Potential
Riding a Wave... When conditions are right, we sail strong, getting more done in a shorter time than most. Ideas click. Insights seem obvious, if not simple. In diving deep, the world fades away as the inner critic mercifully loosens its grip. We are creative. Feeling...

Ah, consistency…
Why bother being consistent? How would I anyway?

Ah, consistency…
Why bother being consistent? How would I anyway?
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