Consistency Over Intensity

If you're over the age of 10, at some point in your life, you've probably heard the statement, "No pain, no gain." And while there is an element of truth to that quote, if not understood in a greater context, it can be misleading at best and harmful at worst.

In physics, work is defined as energy applied to an object via force along a displacement.

Work = Force x Displacement

Let's use an example to make sure we understand. If I go hiking, the force or energy is me walking, and the displacement is the distance I hike. That determines how much work I've done. So, suppose I run instead of walk. In that case, the energy part of that equation goes up, and the overall amount of work increases. However, if I continue to walk but go further, the work also increases. So, if I want to increase the work, I can increase either the energy or the distance.

Now, let's allow ourselves a little creative freedom here. If we reword that equation, we can say that work is a combination of intensity and time.

Work = Intensity x Time

If intensity is the amount of effort I can exert, it has a limit. I can only give 100% effort. Despite what some coaches might have told you, 110% isn't a thing. But here's the kicker. Time doesn't have a limit. I can simply continue to work. Ultra-endurance athletes have already figured this out. They do up to 80% of their workouts at light intensity because they know that pushing beyond that threshold repeatedly will likely result in injury or burnout. The Japanese have a word for this approach to work. It is called kaizen. Translated literally, it means good change or continuous improvement. It is the idea that if we continually make small changes, we will make more progress than drastic one-time changes.

What you do consistently matters far more than what you do occasionally. Intensity is often based on motivation. If I feel motivated, then I'll work really hard. But consistency is a product of habit and principle. This doesn't mean that I don't work hard sometimes. Even though ultra-endurance athletes do 10-20% of their workouts at moderate to high intensity. We do have to push ourselves into discomfort to make changes. But working too hard too often is unsustainable. If you want to make positive changes in your life, focus on consistency rather than intensity. Develop a practice or habit and add in the intensity later because what you do consistently matters far more than what you do occasionally.

Further Reading:

Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg

Atomic Habits by James Clear

Chop Wood, Carry Water by Joshua Medcalf