I had a daily tearaway calendar a few years back for Murphy’s Law. Each day had a clever yet pessimistic quote on it. One day, I decided to cut out a quote and it’s been taped onto my cubicle wall ever since. The paper is now curled and yellowed, yet it still prominently reads:
Steiner’s Observation: Consistency is the last refuge of the unimaginative.
The reason I brought this up today was for the first time since I started keeping a journal again, I failed to log an entry two days in a row. Of course, in real life, unless it cost me a paycheck (which it didn’t), it doesn’t matter. But there is something to be said about the commitment to an endeavor. However, at what cost does the commitment become a routine that overtakes your inner need for variety?
I often debate with my father about how he has, for the most part, had the same daily routine of work, exercise, and leisure for nearly 20 years. He holds this consistency very high, and while I can respect that, there are many things in life which he has not explored. Most times, he claims he just doesn’t have enough interest to branch out, which I understand. But for myself, I want to keep expanding my interests.
In constructing a website to sell of all of my creative endeavors, I’ve been pulled in many different directions to finish everything, which can take my already distracted focus off of certain commitments. But I want to continue this blog adventure I’ve started… it is liberating to be able to write every day with a purpose. Thus, my point: don’t be consistent to the point of routine, but do it enough that no one questions your dedication to the craft.