How to be consistent: Normalize before you optimize. The Rule of 10.

This topic came up recently while I was working with one of my clients. He wanted to create the perfect routine for a new goal. That’s when I told him the phrase that became the theme of this post:

Normalize before you optimize.

So, what does that actually mean?

Step 1 — Normalize

To normalize something means to make the activity feel ordinary. When we start something new — especially something challenging — it is anything but normal. It can feel scary, uncomfortable, unrealistic, risky, or simply too hard.

However, once an activity is normalized, it becomes part of your routine. It no longer triggers dramatic emotions. You don’t overthink it. You don’t negotiate with yourself. You just do it because it has become a regular part of your day, week, or month.

How normalization naturally happens:

1. You set a goal

2. You attempt it a few times

3. You face resistance and do it anyway (more on it here and here)

4. You attempt it again

5. It gradually requires less effort

6. Eventually, it becomes almost effortless

Sometimes this takes one sprint. Sometimes it takes three or four. That’s okay — the timeline doesn’t matter. Normalization is what builds the foundation for consistency.

Step 2 — Optimize

Only after the activity feels normal do we optimize it. At that point, you can look for:

• A better workflow

• A great productivity app

• A tool that automates something

• A system that saves time

Optimization becomes useful only after you remove the emotional resistance around doing the activity.

Why You Should NOT Normalize and Optimize at the Same Time

Trying to do both at once is a recipe for overwhelm.

When you’re just trying to show up — despite fear, discomfort, or self-doubt — the last thing you need is extra complexity. If optimization becomes your focus too early, it becomes a clever hiding place from the real work.

We tell ourselves:

• “I just need the right app.”

• “I should watch one more video.”

• “I’m not ready — I need more research.”

But beneath all that is usually one thing: resistance.

You don’t need another app.
You don’t need another book.
You don’t need another YouTube tutorial.

You need to sit down, face the resistance, and do the work.

When You’re Starting Something New

Forget perfection. Forget analytics. Forget data.

Just focus on showing up, again and again, until the activity feels familiar — even slightly boring.

For example:

• Want to exercise every day?
  Don’t chase the perfect workout program. Go for a walk if that’s all you can handle. Count it as success.

• Want to write or create?
  Forget the perfect gear or setup. Produce something — however small — and ship it.

The goal in the first few sprints is not peak performance.
The goal is to normalize the behaviour.

The Rule of 10

I created this rule because I needed a simple way to build consistency without obsessing over fast results.

Here it is:

When starting a new activity, commit to 10 attempts and do NOT analyze the results of those first 10 attempts.

That’s it.

No metrics.
No results dashboards.
No counting calories, views, likes, or subscribers.

Just 10 reps.

How I came up with The Rule of 10

I realized that the reason I had quit a lot of projects/activities in the past was that I didn’t see quick results.

This was my thinking:

I’ve completed four workouts and I do not see any results. It’s not effective. I should look for some other solution. 

And I would quit, spend weeks searching for another workout plan, try again, not see any immediate results, try again. And so it went.

The same was with many other projects/hobbies I attempted to do.

Another realization that I had was that I started too many new projects/activities. I’d make 1-2 attempts and lose interest. I had too many projects and goals on my plate, and I wasn’t making much progress on most of them.

Why The Rule of 10 Works

1. It filters out low-commitment goals

When the question changes from
“Do I want to do this?”
to
“Do I want to do this 10 times?”
the answer becomes much clearer.

Most activities won’t pass the test — and that’s a good thing. You stop spreading your energy too thin.

2. It trains you how to be consistent

By committing to 10 reps, you build:

• A routine

• Emotional resilience

• A habit of showing up even when you don’t feel like it

That’s how consistency is built — repetition before perfection.

3. It forces you to face resistance

You can’t rely on motivation when the rule is “publish 10 episodes no matter what.”
Resistance gets weaker every time you do the thing anyway.

4. First results happen around rep #10

Not before.

After 10 units of work, you will almost always see:

• First comments

• First audience

• First weight loss

• First real feeling of progress

And those first wins build the motivation to continue.

Real Example: My Podcast

I had always wanted to start a podcast, but I quit every time after a few episodes — because I was analyzing results too early.

So, in December 2020, I decided to follow The Rule of 10:

• Publish 10 episodes

• Every Monday at 4:01 AM EST

Whether anyone listens or not</p>

I didn’t allow stats to influence me. I didn’t check downloads. I just shipped 10 episodes.

Today I’m at episode 21.
That’s what The Rule of 10 does.
It teaches you how to be consistent.

(I later did the same for my YouTube channel)

Final Thoughts

If you want to know how to be consistent, remember this:

First normalize. Then optimize.

Show up for 10 reps before you judge the results.
Do the work before you analyze the system.
Build the habit before you try to perfect it.

Normalize → Optimize → Scale

If you want help applying this in real life — with accountability, support, and live sprint guidance — I’d love to work with you. Let’s build consistency together.

You might find these posts interesting:

1. Unconventional Productivity Tips from Reddit [April 2021 edition]
2. The What, Why, and How of an Accountability Buddy
3. When you don’t achieve your monthly goals