Consistency is key. Habits are human automation.

We are not machines, but we are programmable through our psyches.

Doing the same thing at the same time, day after day, not only builds momentum but leads to exponential progress. The consistency keeps our brain primed for the task—no onboarding or offboarding costs.

When you've established a habit, you've gotten past the hardest part: deciding what to do and when. Decision fatigue is what'll kill you and your productivity.

The more you have to think about what to do and how to do it, the less you actually do the thing—and the more tired you'll get.

Black Shirt Theory: wear the same stupid shirt each day to reduce decision fatigue. I don't personally abide by that extreme, nor do I promote it, but the extreme highlights the point: reserve your decision energy for what is important to you.

My morning routine is probably my best habit these days: wake up, go to the bathroom, make coffee, blog. Don't think about what products to wash your face with, what order to do these things in, what method to brew your coffee this morning, or whether or not to blog. Just execute. When the decision was made beforehand and the habit takes over, the morning flows.

I'm also a sucker for routine and consistency. It keeps me grounded. It gives me a small win each morning: at least I wrote something today.

Now I have a bit of pride knowing that I have written and published over 200 posts. Pretty neat.

I could not have gotten to that number without human automation through habit. If I had to decide each time whether or not to blog or when to do it, I’d be much less likely to follow through.

If you're struggling to show up consistently for something that needs you, leverage routine. Plan the routine and actually practice it. I've gone so far as to rehearse my morning routine, noting down the exact order of operations.

While you don't need to go quite that far (I no longer do), the exercise of pre-planning every step and movement is illuminating. It's much like being an athlete or a musician who meticulously practices the way their body moves: when it’s go-time, they don’t think. They are in flow. Our routines can be the same.

Here's my invitation: Recognize your humanity and use habits to automate yourself. Routines are your friend. Habits, discipline, and determination are ancient technologies. Avail yourself of those tools.