Don't Fail Twice (Revisited)

We all stumble.

We all miss a workout, skip a task, or fall short of a goal at some point.

That’s normal. That’s human.

What matters is not the single miss—it’s what happens after.

Missing once won’t derail your journey. But missing twice?

That’s the start of a pattern.

The Day Warrior mindset is simple: Miss once? Fine. Learn from it. But don’t miss twice.

Success doesn’t come from perfection; it comes from persistence. It comes from showing up repeatedly, even on the days you do not feel like it. Consistency is what drives progress, not perfection. 

Missing once won’t ruin your journey, but letting it become a habit can.

Failing is an opportunity for growth. We should look at these as learning experiences that create the needed experience to succeed.

When we fail at the same thing twice, in the same way, it may indicate that we are not learning or adapting from the experience.

The Truth About Consistency (Not Perfection)

Perfection is a myth that holds too many people back.

If you aim for perfect days, you’ll be paralyzed by fear of failure.

But when you embrace consistency, you give yourself room to grow, stumble, and still move forward.

When you slip once, see it as an opportunity:

• Learn from it.

• Adjust your plan.

• Build the muscle of resilience.

Failing once is feedback.

Failing twice in the same way signals a lack of adaptation.

The goal is not to never fall.

The goal is to rise every time you do.

Learning From Failures

Adopting a don't miss twice mindset transforms how you see failure.

It shifts your focus from self-blame to self-improvement.

From regret to resilience.

From perfectionism to progress.

• Fostering A Growth Mindset:

  A growth mindset is the belief that abilities, intelligence, and talents can be developed through effort, learning, and perseverance.
  
  People with a growth mindset see challenges as opportunities to grow, embrace failure as a learning experience, and believe that they can improve with dedication and hard workEmbracing a don't miss twice mindset is a perspective that helps us become more adaptable and better equipped to handle future obstacles. It is all about focusing on getting better every day instead of dwelling on failure every day.
  
  When we encounter failure, we must analyze the situation, identify the root causes, and develop strategies to prevent similar mistakes in the future.
  

• Drive Consistency and Progress:

  My writings and newsletters discuss building systems and habits that promote consistent execution. Perfection is not the goal, so you must throw away the mental block that tells you a mistake has cost you perfection.

  
  The goal is consistency over perfection, a key driver for success. Picking yourself up when you fail and making a consistent effort, even in small increments, creates momentum. This momentum is critical to your progress, leading to significant achievements.
  
  You want to develop positive habits. This regular behavior becomes engrained in your daily schedule, making it easier to maintain discipline and progress. Consistent effort and execution in a pursuit, project, exercise, and diet lead to improved skills, outcomes, and enhanced performance.
  

• Balancing Consistency with Flexibility:

  Both consistency and flexibility are critical to our continued success and growth. The balance of these two items is crucial because it allows you to stay focused on your goals but also have the ability to adapt to change.

  
  Consistency is vital because it helps you to build habits, establish trust, ensure progress, and reinforce your identity. Consistent behavior shapes how you see yourself and how others perceive you. Small, consistent steps lead to longer-term successes and reinforce positive habits and routines.

  
  On the other hand, flexibility helps us adapt to change, develop problem-solving skills, reduce stress, and encourage us to grow. Life is unpredictable, and even the best habits and systems require flexibility so we can pivot and improve the system. If we are not open to change, we become stagnant; open-mindedness leads to innovation. Adapting to new opportunities fosters learning and personal development.

  
  It is important to remember that the missing one is not the end of the journey; it is just one of many steps in a long, lifelong journey. The journey is not ruined. The key is acknowledging the slip-up, reflecting on what happened, and getting back on track quickly. You can accomplish many things if you remain balanced between consistency and flexibility.
  

• Cultivating Through Consistency:

  To cultivate something through consistency means to develop, nurture, or improve it through regular, deliberate actions over time. It involves showing up repeatedly, putting in effort, and maintaining focus, even when results aren’t immediate. Cultivation through consistency works in the following ways:
  

  • Small Actions, Big Impact: Regular, small steps accumulate into significant progress over time.
    

  • Reinforcing Habits: Consistent behavior creates positive routines and strengthens desired habits.
    

  • Building Mastery: Repeated practice leads to skill development and expertise.
    

  • Creating Momentum: Consistency builds momentum, making it easier to stay committed.
    

  • Long-Term Success: Sustainable growth comes from ongoing effort, not short bursts of motivation.

Think about the personal growth that can come from journaling daily to improve your self-awareness and tracking your results. By consistently showing respect, kindness, and support, you can deepen bonds and relationships.

Consistently adding to your skill stack, taking classes, or practicing professional skills regularly can drive your career development. Exercising and walking consistently to build strength and resistance can improve your health and fitness.

Embracing the “do not fail twice” concept and focusing on consistency rather than perfection creates a robust framework for personal and professional growth. It allows us to learn from our mistakes, maintain steady progress, and ultimately achieve long-term success.

Hints to Stop Failing Twice

There is power in being consistent in achieving long-term success.  By committing to showing up, using accountability tools, and building systems for success, you create lasting momentum that drives meaningful change.

• Adopt a  No-Excuses Mindset: Remember that missing once is a setback, but missing twice becomes a pattern. Commit to showing up, even when it’s inconvenient.

• Create a simple Action Plan to Correct: If you miss a workout or have an unhealthy meal, plan your next session or meal immediately. Write it down. Schedule it. Put it in your calendar and treat it like your number one appointment.

• Use Accountability Tools: If you have trouble holding yourself accountable, share your goals with a friend. I use a fitness app. Something about beating records on fitness apps is a great motivator for me. 

• Lower the Barrier to Success: I am on the fence, but I firmly believe that something is better than nothing. If motivation is low, start small. Go for a 10-minute walk, do a quick home workout, or eat a healthy snack instead of a full meal. Inaction accomplishes nothing. Taking even a small action builds momentum.

• Build Systems for Success: It is easier not to miss twice when you have solid systems in place. If you have solid routines that make healthy choices automatic, it is much easier to pick up the next day. Meal prep, schedule workouts at the same time daily, and set reminders to stay on track. 

• Balance Consistency and Flexibility: Set clear goals but stay open-minded. Ensure you work towards specific goals, but be willing to change or adjust your approach when you learn more. Follow routines that allow for unexpected change.

  Structure is important, but if your schedule is so rigid, you might not be open to change if your schedule is at risk. Be purpose-driven but Adaptive. Stay committed to your purpose and values, but be on the lookout for better approaches if they arise. Balancing consistency and flexibility ensures steady progress while remaining resilient in life’s inevitable changes.

In the end, consistency is key to long-term success. It is not what you do occasionally that shapes your outcomes. What you commit to doing regularly drives meaningful change in your life. Missing a step once in your journey will not derail all the hard work you have put in, but allowing it to become a pattern will. 

You build systems that support steady progress by adopting a no-excuses mindset, creating corrective action plans, using accountability tools, and lowering barriers to success. Even when inconvenient, showing up fosters momentum, creating results or success.

The Day Warrior is not Perfect 

There’s a lesson I’ve learned firsthand in my own routines, especially with my morning discipline.

I’ve always valued starting the day early—before my family wakes up, before the noise begins. That time is sacred. It’s when I reflect, write, move my body, and set my direction for the day. I love to get up early and get my important tasks done before everyone wakes up.

It is the perfect start of the day.

It starts the day off right with a sense of accomplishment.

But like anyone, there are days I miss.

Maybe I stayed up too late the night before. Maybe the alarm went off, and I hit snooze. Life happens.

But here’s the key: When I miss once, I make it a priority to never miss two days in a row.

Missing one day doesn’t define me. Missing two starts to chip away at my standards.

I know that momentum works both ways—positive or negative.

If I skip once and forgive myself quickly, I stay in the game. If I skip twice, it’s easier to let discipline slide, and suddenly, my morning momentum is gone.

So, after a miss, I double down, and make sure I do not miss the next opportunity.

Final Thoughts

Consistency is what creates success.

It’s not about what you do once in a while.

It’s about what you do daily.

When you adopt the Don’t Miss Twice mindset, you give yourself permission to be human while holding yourself to a high standard of growth.

You build systems.

You add to your talent stack.

You recover quickly.

You adapt when life throws you a curveball.

Most of all—you keep moving forward.

That’s how you create meaningful change.

That’s how you build a life you’re proud of.

That’s how you live like a Day Warrior.

The Day Warrior

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