All or nothing

There is an endless list of things I dream of learning, doing, and experiencing. Whenever I decide to start something from that list—whether it's writing, exercising, or building a new product — I inevitably face my personal challenge: maintaining consistency and finding a way to integrate the new activity into my daily life.

My wife (she is a naturopathic nutritionist who loves and promotes a balanced lifestyle) often advises me to start slow. For instance, she suggests running just once a week instead of diving into a daily routine right away. Her approach makes sense, especially for physically demanding activities where the body needs time to adapt. Logically, I understand that this is the smarter and safer way to begin. However, it rarely works for me.

I tend to be an all-or-nothing person. For me, it's usually about going all in — fully committing to something — or it simply won’t stick.

I learned the hard way through running that going all-in without proper preparation comes with its physical challenges. About a year ago, I committed to almost daily runs as part of training toward completing a 5K. While this approach helped me develop the habit of running, it also led to an overuse injury: plantar fasciitis. This condition, caused by inflammation of the plantar fascia, is a common issue among runners who push themselves too hard too soon. As a result of the injury, I had to not only slow down but completely pause running for an extended period to allow my body to fully recover.

Now, nearly a year later, I still experience slight pain in my heel. However, I’m eager to start running again. This time, I plan to approach it with greater care and intention. I want to prioritize proper warm-ups, maintain good running form, and gradually increase both distance and speed. Despite these adjustments, my goal remains to run daily if possible—even if it’s just a very short distance. The key for me is consistency, as running every day helps solidify the habit.

Another area I want to focus on daily is writing. Since rebuilding my blog, I’ve managed to write more or less weekly. However, I’d like to improve in this area and develop it further. For me, the only method that truly works is the same as with running: committing to it every single day. By showing up consistently, I believe I can make meaningful progress in building the habit and refining my skills as a writer.

I've structured my site in two areas, the blog for more long form writing, and notes, for shorter less formal thought. I'm also working on InboundRSS, which I already use myself to publish my posts as well as notes to Bluesky and Mastodon. This new service is almost ready to open up for early access, and is another area, that I'm lately working on daily.

2024

My future self knows better


19/12

All or nothing


18/12

Social following & connection


08/12

My relationship to social media


01/12

Dental surgery & expectations


22/11

On leaving X again


08/11

Personal blogs


02/11

Click to cancel


19/10

2021

Every day learning


30/01

Out of the shadow


10/01

Now vs. Later


09/01

Why do I want to write


08/01

Our first Youtube LIVE


02/01

A new day


01/01

2020

Daily Practice


30/12

Fast forward six months


12/12

Going down the rabbit hole


07/12

Getting ready


06/12

Impact of customer support


27/11

A lot has happened


19/11

It's ok to have bad days


08/09

My first productive week


17/07

Countdown & Commitment


08/07

Transition time


07/07

Our travel continues


06/07

Understanding Men & Women


05/04

The fear of the unknown


04/04

Hello World (literally)


01/03

Almost being scammed


09/02

Our next chapter


02/02

2019

Forced to try something new


10/10

I am not good at ...


29/09

ContextLabel 1.6.0


08/05

2018

I'm not on LinkedIn


24/12

Don't be right, be open


22/12

Healthy Lifestyle


30/09

2016

Hill88


08/08