Slow and steady

At the end of last year, a few friends and I decided we wanted to exercise more consistently.

We gamified the process.

Every time we exercised, we got one point. The target was 250 points in a year, which averaged to 4 - 5 workouts a week.

We had strict definitions, so doing a 10 minute workout won’t count (E.g. 5km run = 1 point; 30 km bike = 1 point, etc).

Additional points were given for hitting 10k steps (0.1 bonus points) and 20k steps (0.25 bonus points).

You could only get a maximum of 2.5 points in a day.

So, if you ran a marathon, you won’t get 8 points, you will only get 2.5 points. This was done to prevent us from gaming the system where we only start exercising towards the end of the year to make up the points.

The game was created to drive consistency.

Slowly and steadily, more than half of us have finished the challenge.

Others, who started at a blistering pace, quickly burned out and gave up.

With just a couple of points remaining to complete the challenge, this serves as a good reminder that slow and steady progress beats intensity in the long run.

Today’s Prompts

Growth

Reflect on a goal you failed to achieve in the past. Could a more consistent approach have helped?

Reflect on a challenge you’re currently facing. How can small, consistent actions help resolve it?

How do you stay motivated when progress feels slow?

Quote of the day

"It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop." — Confucius

4 - The 'If you don’t have time’ Prompt

Identify an area in your life where “slow and steady” could help you improve.

Get the most out of your journalling:

• Choose one prompt: Focus on just one prompt each day to avoid feeling overwhelmed.

• Be brutally honest: Reflect openly and honestly. This is your safe space to explore your thoughts and feelings.

• Take your time: Sometimes it takes a few days to clarify your thinking. Here’s permission for you to take your time to unravel a prompt and not take on any new ones during that time.

• Journal your way: Whether you prefer writing, audio recording, or video, choose the method that suits you best.

• Don't stress about streaks: If you miss a day, don't worry. You can always revisit a previous prompt.

I’d love your feedback

What was your favourite prompt of the day? Is there any specific challenge you want prompts for? How can I improve the content of the newsletter? Reply this mail and let me know!