Discipline · 1 min read
Never Miss Twice
Missing once is an accident; twice is the start of a new habit. Never miss twice: an identity-maintenance rule that keeps one slip from becoming who you are.
Accidents are inevitable. The rule for keeping a habit fits in one line: never miss twice.
- Missing once is fine, just do not let it become two in a row. Once is an accident, twice is the start of a new (bad) habit.
- Do not punish yourself or deny your identity over a miss or two:
- Someone who works out does not decide they are lazy after skipping a day or two.
- Someone who eats does not decide they no longer need to eat after skipping a day or two.
This is an identity-maintenance strategy: one slip does not change who you are, a streak of slips does.
Once is an accident, twice is a beginning. Hold the “no two in a row” line and the identity will not collapse.
References: Atomic Habits, James Clear
Related: back to the whole-book map. Or read Identity: Who You Are Drives What You Do and Law 4: Make It Satisfying.