No Zero Days

Build the dedication, consistency, motivation, and action to help you stick to your Whole30, resolutions, or other goals

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I’ve been going to the gym first thing in the morning 5-6 days a week for 25 years. TWENTY. FIVE! I can’t believe it either, because it seems like just yesterday I signed up for Gold’s Gym, fresh out of rehab for the second time, determined to become a healthy person with healthy habits.

At this point, moving in the morning feels as effortless as brushing my teeth. It’s automatic. I work out when I travel, I work out on vacation, I work out on holidays, I work out on weekends. And the truth is, 99% of the time, I want to work out. I don’t force myself to go if I don’t want to, but I rarely want to skip. (In fact, if I feel like skipping two or three days in a row, that’s a sign of peak depression.)

What’s my secret? Am I dedicated, or am I consistent?

Dedication vs. consistency

In truth, I am both dedicated and consistent. You know the saying, “Put your money where your mouth is?” Dedication is your mouth, and consistency is your money.

• Dedication is putting your mind to the goal to create a (mostly) unwavering commitment. You know what you want, you know your “why,” and you are clear on the benefits.

• Consistency is physically moving towards the goal and regularly performing the tasks necessary to achieve it. When you’re consistent, you’re taking actual steps towards your goal, day after day.

You need both to achieve a goal, but in my experience, consistency is far more important. Yes, you need to know your “why.” Yes, you need to commit to yourself and maybe others. But knowing something and not doing it is the same as not knowing it. You have to keep moving towards your goal, consistently. But how do you get and stay consistent?

Dedication = Thinking Consistency = Doing

Motivation vs. action

Most people think you need motivation to keep you moving towards your goals. When you’re motivated to achieve a goal, you’ll be excited to take steps towards it. Yes, that can certainly happen! Think of Day 1 of a Whole30; you’re clear on the goal, feeling confident and excited. That excitement will carry you through your first day of meal prep, cooking, and fending off cravings.

But you won’t always be motivated. Nobody is, not even me. If you count on motivation to keep you moving, at some point you will stall out. You won’t feel like waking up early, you’ll be too tired to resist the craving, or you’ll think to yourself, “I’ve been so good, surely I can skip a day or two?”

You need to think about this differently. Motivation doesn’t drive action—action drives motivation. Taking small steps towards your goal every single day will help you make progress, feel a sense of pride, and restore your sense of motivation.

Dedication = Motivation Consistency = Action

No Zero Days

The concept of No Zero Days is how you can take action to drive consistency—and even get back to feeling motivated! No Zero Days originated in a Reddit post by a guy named Ryan back in 2014. The concept is simple:

• A “zero day” is where you don’t do a single thing to move closer towards your goal

• A “non-zero day” means you did something to contribute to your goal

No Zero Days means taking some step towards your goal, no matter how small. Examples of No Zero Days include:

• Walking into the gym in workout clothes on a morning you said you would go to the gym

• Reading one page of a book during your 30-day reading challenge

• Turning the water to cold and count to 10 during your morning shower

In the above, all of these actions make it a No Zero Day. Did you say you’d work out today, but now it’s bedtime? Do 10 push-ups, and it’s a non-zero day. Did you say you’d eat more vegetables, but forgot to go grocery shopping? Pull that last carrot from the drawer, scarf it up, and it’s a non-zero day.

These acts may seem so small, they’re inconsequential. However, they almost always lead to a natural inclination to do more. Walking into the gym in your gym clothes, then walking right back out probably feels weird. You’re there, and the energy of the gym is infectious—you might as well do something. Reading one page takes no time at all, but what happens next? You might as well turn the page and see. Ten second of cold water is hard—but invigorating! Tomorrow you’ll try for 15.

With No Zero Days, your day is either a one or a zero—and a one is a win.

Keep taking action

Not all of your days can be bare minimum days if you’re serious about your goal—but don’t dismiss the power of taking one small action. That action—or “one”—creates consistency, spawns motivation, and provides you with a sense of pride. It can pull you out of a rut, get you going when you feel blocked, or help you maintain your efforts in a difficult season.

It can also help you see what might be blocking your new intended habit. Taking that one small step might inspire you to lay out your gym clothes the night before, start reading every day at lunch, or play a fun song to distract you during the coldest part of your shower.

How could you apply the concept of No Zero Days? What small action could you take today to help you mark a “one,” stay consistent, and regain your motivation? Share your thoughts in the comments.

XO, MU