"Si quieres dominar un hábito, la clave es empezar con la repetición, no con la perfección."

Starting with repetition rather than perfection is the best way to build a habit. It’s simple, really: when you’re trying to get good at something, the most important thing is just to do it over and over again. Don’t worry about doing it flawlessly. Just do it, period.

Think about this idea in the context of learning to play the guitar. When someone first picks up a guitar, their fingers fumble over the strings, the chords sound clunky, and transitioning between notes feels awkward. If they insisted on playing perfectly from the get-go, they’d probably get frustrated and quit. Instead, by focusing on repetition—playing the same chords, the same songs over and over—they gradually get better. Each attempt isn’t perfect, but each one is a step closer to getting it right. It’s the “practice makes perfect” idea but with a twist; it’s more about the consistent practice rather than the perfect practice.

Consider a real-life example: think about a friend trying to start jogging. If they aim to run a perfect 5k right out of the gate, they’re setting themselves up for disappointment. Instead, they should just start by running regularly, even if it's just a short distance each time. Over weeks and months of consistent effort, they’ll build up endurance and improve their running technique naturally. The repetition helps their body adapt and improve, even if each individual run isn’t perfect.

So, how can you apply this wisdom in your own life? Let’s say you want to develop a habit of reading more. Instead of setting a goal to read for an hour every day, start smaller. Commit to reading just one page a day. It’s not about how much you read, but that you read. Every day. Eventually, that one page might turn into two, then a chapter, and before you know it, reading becomes a natural part of your daily routine because you built it up through consistent repetition.

Here’s a relatable scenario: imagine you’re trying to get into the habit of meditating. At first, you might find it hard to sit still and quiet your mind for even five minutes. That’s normal! Don’t aim for a perfectly zen meditation session right away. Instead, focus on sitting down and trying to meditate every day, even if your mind is racing. Over time, the practice becomes easier, and your ability to meditate improves. You’re building the habit through repetition.

In essence, starting with repetition is like laying bricks. Each time you repeat the action, you add another brick to your wall. It might not look like much at first, but with consistency, you build something solid and lasting. So, the next time you’re trying to develop a new habit, remember: just keep doing it. Don’t stress about doing it perfectly. The magic is in the repetition.