Happy New Year and I hope your holidays brought you peaceful and happy times with family and friends.
January is a time when many of us look forward to not only a new year but an opportunity to make changes we have been contemplating. What I’ve noticed over time is that, sooner or later, we return to a theme I see come up again and again in my coaching work: consistency in practicing new behaviors and habits.
Photo by Nataliya Vaitkevich: https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-close-up-shot-of-letter-dice-6120219/
When people decide to change a habit, they often look for motivation, willpower, or a dramatic reset. These can create an initial surge of energy, but they’re rarely what sustains change over time. The answer is perhaps a bit more mundane.
What actually makes the difference is consistency.
Habits are not built through intensity; they’re built through repetition. Every time a behavior is practiced, the brain strengthens the neural pathways associated with it. Over time, what once required effort becomes more automatic. This is why small, repeated actions consistently outperform big, occasional efforts.
One of the most common reasons habits fail is that they’re too ambitious. When a behavior requires ideal conditions—enough time, high energy, or perfect focus—it becomes fragile. Stressful days, competing priorities, or fatigue quickly derail it. Consistency thrives when habits are realistic enough to be practiced even on imperfect days. Even on those days when you just don’t feel like it.
Another overlooked benefit of consistency is how it shifts our mindset. Instead of measuring success solely by outcomes, the focus moves to practice. Rather than asking, “Why am I not seeing results yet?” the question becomes, “What am I practicing regularly?” This builds confidence, reinforces identity, and creates momentum long before external results appear.
From a wellbeing and performance perspective, consistency creates stability. It reduces decision fatigue, supports emotional regulation, and strengthens trust in oneself. Over time, consistent habits compound, leading to meaningful improvements in energy, focus, resilience, and effectiveness at work and in life.
Lasting change rarely comes from breakthroughs or bursts of effort. It comes from showing up again and again, choosing progress over perfection. When consistency becomes the goal, habit change becomes not only possible—but sustainable.
I like the way James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, describes it. Your current habits are a reflection of who you believe you are; changing your identity is the deepest level of behavior change. If, for example, you refer to yourself as a “couch potato,” your behavior is most likely to conform to how you describe yourself. If one day you decide to put on your workout clothes, lace up your running shoes and start to run 20 minutes each day, and you keep it up over months, you will begin to see yourself in a new light: “I am a runner.” Clear says that every time you take an action that fits into this new identity is a vote for the type of person you are becoming. Your consistent habits over time have shaped this new identity.
Lots of us can be lulled into thinking we just have to find the right eating plan, trainer, coach or whatever because we have been trained to look outside ourselves for answers. Consistency isn’t really exciting or glamorous, and it’s surely not a quick fix. The reality, though, is that if we want lasting change, consistency in implementing new habits, new behaviors, is key.
Wishing you the best for 2026!
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If you’re noticing a desire to build habits that truly support your wellbeing and performance—but aren’t sure where to start or how to stay consistent—a clarity session can be a valuable first step. These conversations create space to reflect, identify what matters most right now, and explore practical next steps that fit your real life. Sometimes, a focused conversation is all it takes to move from intention to consistent action.
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