Cheating
I cheated yesterday. I missed the daily post, and I’m compensating it today. It doesn’t really matter in the long run; if I look back I see all the posts are in place. Only the git history would reveal my laziness.
But allowing yourself to deviate from your plans puts you on a slippery slope. How much deviation is accepted? If I miss one day, but I write two on the next, is it OK? Or should I overcompensate and write three? It would easily make a 20-minutes task a much daunting 1-hour one, making it more more likely you’ll miss that too.
Habits easily break this way. Once in a while is OK, but making this an excuse for bigger misses could easily make irreversible changes.
On the other hand, you might no longer want to keep on that particular habit. But it’s too easy to break one at the first obstacle. Keep this in mind when you are breaking a habit. Making a habit out of breaking habits will change you for the worse.
Finding the balance between keeping up and abandoning habits is an important skill. In case of doubt, aim for persevearance; you’d be better off this way.