The writer David Sedaris walks 21,000 steps every day. The filmmaker John Wilson has journaled daily since 2007. And Jerry Seinfeld reportedly maintains his productivity by writing jokes every single day.
I have my own example — for the past eight years, I’ve run at least one mile a day. Here’s the thing: I don’t enjoy it. I’m not a good runner. And I hate the outdoors. So why do I keep doing it?
I’m on a streak.
Anyone who’s ever found themselves marching around their bedroom to reach 10,000 steps, or frantically completing a Duolingo language exercise to stay on the leaderboard, will be familiar with the mantra “Don’t break the streak!”
Streaks can motivate us, help us build good habits and aid us in reaching our goals. If you’re looking for a way to stick to a New Year’s resolution beyond January, a streak could help.
Why Do Streaks Help Us Meet Our Goals?
Streaks work for two reasons: what behavioral economists call loss aversion and potential gain, said Dr. Katy Milkman, a behavioral scientist at the University of Pennsylvania.
Let’s start with gains: A streak can be profoundly motivating for people, Dr. Milkman said, “because there’s something bright and shiny that they can reach for. There’s a prize, in a sense, that’s making you more motivated to get a thing done.”
Loss aversion, Dr. Milkman said, is the idea that the pain of losing something can be more extreme than the pleasure of gaining the same thing. So once you’re on a streak, research has suggested, the fear of losing it can be stronger than the motivating power of simply gaining another day.
These dual motivators can keep us on track to reach our goals. Plus, being able to cross something off your to-do list every day can add meaning to your life.
That’s clear to Alysa Beckner and Jackson Grover, who live in London and Los Angeles, respectively. The friends met in college and soon started sending each other a Snapchat message every day.
They never stopped: The pair has been exchanging daily selfies, life updates and photos of celebrities they spot in the wild for nearly eight years.
In a way, Ms. Beckner and Mr. Grover’s streak has kept them in touch and deepened their friendship. And by automating the decision-making, they made it easier to stay connected.
How to Make a Streak Work for You
To turn a streak into a habit, you should make it easy to repeat the behavior, said Dr. Wendy Wood, who taught psychology and business at the University of Southern California and is the author of “Good Habits, Bad Habits.”
“Get yourself to repeat something often enough — and in the same context — and ultimately it might become automatic,” Dr. Wood added.
Here are a few more ways to reinforce your streak.
Pick something you enjoy.
Lauren LoGrasso, a podcaster in Los Angeles, has meditated almost every morning since January 2018, missing only a handful of days. “I am the least consistent person in the world except for this,” she said, “because it really makes my life that much better.”
If you pick something that adds value to your life, something you wouldn’t mind doing on a weekend or a vacation, you may be more likely to stick with it.
Take advantage of technology and gamification.
Carol Sable Wade, who lives in Minneapolis, has a streak of more than 2,000 days on the language-learning app Duolingo, where she’s in the rarefied Diamond League, a leaderboard listing the most committed users.
Gamification is a powerful tool: Finding an app with a game structure that appeals to you can help you keep going.
Treat yourself with compassion.
Maybe you are reluctant to start a streak for fear that you’ll miss a day, perhaps for illness or an emergency, and the whole thing will be ruined. But give yourself some grace, said Dr. Emiliana Simon-Thomas, science director of the Greater Good Science Center at University of California-Berkeley.
One popular strategy is to allow yourself to miss one day of a streak occasionally, but never two in a row. By giving yourself that one-day allowance, you can continue the streak.
“Making progress on a regular basis is a huge motivator,” Dr. Simon-Thomas said — but “regular” doesn’t have to mean daily.
Consider what else you gain.
One of the reasons I stick with my running streak is that, in addition to the health benefits, it also helps me procrastinate less and develop more self-discipline in other areas.
If you’re interested in starting a streak, look for the less-obvious perks. The writer and podcaster Gretchen Rubin has a streak of visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art daily since the Covid pandemic abated (although she has missed days for travel or illness).
“There’s so much research, and everyday experience, emphasizing the value of novelty to our happiness,” said Ms. Rubin, who often writes about happiness. “But I think that the pleasure of doing the same thing every day shouldn’t be overlooked. There’s a beauty and comfort in repetition.”