The Value of Playing the Long Game
Why consistency beats hustle—on the trail and on the page.
Burnout comes from chasing speed
If there’s one lesson I’ve learnt, it’s that.
It’s tempting to dive into quick wins.
To push hard, chasing unrealistic goals and expectations.
To push, push, push and then … crash.
Impatience tricks creatives into chasing peaks instead of embracing steady progress. So we repeat this cycle over and over, without really moving forward.
Whether you're pounding pavement or pounding the keyboard —
It’s the same trap.
When I first signed up with Landie Greyling—ultra-running legend and mother of two—it wasn’t just about talent.
It was about lifestyle alignment.
They first suggested a young gun.
Top 1%. Fast as hell.
But a kid in his 20s.
Who blitzed 20k races.
He wouldn’t get my life.
Nor my goals of chasing ultras.
Not really.
Landie? She’s my age. Raising kids. Running a business.
Still crushing races.
She’s won a variant of the Mountain Ultra Trail I’m training for.
And she’s done it with balance, not burnout.
That kind of empathy? Rare. And gold.
Longevity doesn’t come from training harder
It comes from training smarter.
Pacing. Recovery. Consistent effort.
Day after day.
Writing’s no different.
Chase every spark of inspiration, create through manic bursts—and you'll burn out.
But build habits—
Daily prompts. Tiny stories. AI-assisted riffs—
and the engine keeps humming.
Choose structure.
Choose slow but steady.
Choose focus.
Less, but better.
Running and writing are both endurance sports.
The ones who go the distance aren’t the fastest.
They’re the ones who pace themselves to keep showing up.
Tonight, ditch one unsustainable habit.
Replace it with something you can actually do—every day.
Consistency beats intensity.
Every single time.
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