In his bestselling book Atomic Habits, James Clear introduces a powerful principle called “Never Miss Twice.” If you haven’t read Atomic Habits, do yourself a favor—read it, then reread it every year or two. It’s that transformative.
Today I want to share how this idea, along with a few others, has shaped my daily life. At 60 years young, I’ve built a set of non-negotiable habits that keep me vibrant, healthy, and highly productive. The common thread? I compete only against myself, and I never miss once. (If I ever do miss, the goal becomes “never miss twice,” but I do everything possible to protect the streak.)
Here are the habits I track religiously (streaks current as of February 9, 2026):
- Cold shower first thing — Within 120–180 seconds of leaving my warm bed, I’m under cold water. Living in Houston means the water isn’t arctic, but the contrast still shocks the system. Streak: 781 days.
- Supplements — MCT oil, omega-3s, B complex (for methylation issues), K2 + D3, creatine, and methylene blue. No judgment—just what works for me.
- Grounding + squatting — I go outside (rain or shine, umbrella if needed), put bare feet on the ground and squat for four minutes. Inspired by the book Built to Move, which reminds us how quickly we lose the ability to squat deeply as we age. I can still get pretty low. Streak (grounding): 775 days; squatting: 740 days (I started combining them later).
- Handwritten daily goals — Not typed, not spoken, not just thought about—written in a journal every single morning. I stopped for a while but restarted because consistency matters. Streak: 82 days.
- Daily blood pressure check — As a 60-year-old man, I monitor this vital sign every day. No excuses. Streak: 65 days.
- Run at least one mile — My longest streak by far. Started August 29, 2017. I don’t always feel like it, but I’ve never skipped. Streak: 3,087 days.
- Weightlifting — Every other day (lift, rest, lift, rest). Streak: 80 sessions.
- Gratitude journaling — Every night, three things I’m grateful for, written down. Streak: 70 days.
- 15,000+ steps — No matter what, I hit this movement goal daily. Streak: 711 days.
- 15-minute meditation — A newer addition that’s already paying dividends. Streak: 40 days.
A couple of intentional “small streaks” reset every 21 days because I follow a keto diet with a planned cheat meal once every three weeks:
- No Diet Coke (my all-time favorite) except on cheat day.
- Strict keto adherence.
These resets are by design—not failures.
Why track all this? Because tracking turns intention into identity. Seeing those numbers climb creates momentum and pride. I’m not competing with anyone else—just the version of me from yesterday. The longer the streak, the harder it is to break. After 3,087 consecutive days of running, do you think I’m going to risk resetting to Day 1? Not a chance.
The real power isn’t in perfection; it’s in the refusal to let one miss become two. Life will throw curveballs—travel, illness, exhaustion—but the “never miss once” mindset keeps the chain alive.
My challenge to you is simple: Identify one or two habits that, if you protected them fiercely, would transform your health, energy, or success. Start small if you need to. Track them. Compete against yourself. And decide today that you will never miss once.
What habit are you ready to protect? I’d love to hear your thoughts.