I love to walk. At least three times a week, I do so briskly for ninety minutes. It’s my chance to exercise but more importantly, to listen to music and my thoughts uninterrupted. Some of my most blinding insights come while walking.

Sometimes it rains and I have to use the treadmill instead of walking the streets I prefer. But, I have noticed something interesting.

On the treadmill, I keep an even pace. I don’t stop to cross the road or sidestep the filth and shit of Lagos or its uneven pavements. I don’t have to avoid people or speeding vehicles.

Any time I use the treadmill, my street walking vastly improves. My muscles remember the pace and I’m almost on autopilot. My breathing is more regular and I feel less tired afterwards.

There’s something about consistency. It breeds stamina. If you swim everyday, after a while, you will do it without breaking a sweat. You can also venture farther. Even when you encounter an unfamiliar pool, as long as its relative length is similar to yours, you can easily traverse it. The same is true for learning. Read the same thing over and over and finally, you begin to spot patterns. Some parts of the text gradually start to make sense.

In what areas of your life do you need to apply consistency to break through? Think about it and then stick to it.

For more, please read Work is not your life.