I Started Slow, Never Missed a Week — And That Changed Everything
- JP de la Rama
- 11 minutes ago
- 4 min read
“You don’t build habits by intensity. You build them by refusing to stop.”
Introduction — Setting the Stage
Before this newsletter became part of my life…
It was a struggle just to start.
I remember staring at a blank page for days.
Overthinking every sentence.
Delaying the publish button.
One issue would take weeks.
Not because I didn’t have something to say—
But because I didn’t have a rhythm.
Then something shifted.
I committed to showing up every week.
No matter what.
One issue. Every week.
No breaks. No excuses.
And here’s the part I didn’t expect:
It got easier.
Faster.
Cleaner.
More natural.
Weeks turned into months.
Months turned into a year.
And now?
I don’t force it anymore.
I just do it.
The Deep Dive — Why Most Creatives Stay Stuck at the Start
Let’s be honest.
Starting is hard.
But what’s harder is continuing.
Most artists don’t fail because they lack talent.
They fail because they stop.
Too slow.
Too messy.
Too imperfect.
So they reset.
Again and again.
What I’ve learned—without realizing it at the time—is something I later found clearly articulated in Atomic Habits:
Progress doesn’t require speed. It requires direction.
But we live in a world that rewards fast results.
So when progress feels slow…
We assume something is wrong.
We quit.
Or worse—
We start over.
“The Never Break the Chain Rule”
What carried me through wasn’t motivation.
It was something simpler.
The Never Break the Chain Rule
One newsletter per week.
No matter what.
That was the only rule.
Not perfection.
Not length.
Not performance.
Just consistency.
And over time, something powerful happened:
Writing became faster
Thinking became clearer
My voice became sharper
Not because I forced growth—
But because I allowed repetition to do its job.
Emotion Commits the Crime — Logic Does the Cover Up
Let’s talk about what really breaks consistency.
It’s not logic.
It’s emotion.
You feel tired.
You feel uninspired.
You feel like this week’s issue isn’t “good enough.”
So you skip.
Then logic steps in:
“I’ll write a better one next week.”
“I just need more time.”
“I don’t want to publish something weak.”
Sounds reasonable.
But it’s a trap.
Because every skipped action resets momentum.
What I learned over time:
Consistency protects you from your own emotions.
You don’t ask how you feel.
You follow the rule.
The Principle — Walk Slowly, But Never Backward
There’s a line from Atomic Habits that perfectly describes this:
“Walk slowly, but never backward.”
That became the hidden engine behind everything I do now.
Because here’s the truth:
Slow progress still compounds
Small actions still count
Imperfect output still builds momentum
What kills progress isn’t slowness.
It’s stopping.
Or restarting.
Or abandoning the process altogether.
The Solution — How to Build a Habit That Actually Sticks
This is what worked for me—not theory, not shortcuts.
1. Start Smaller Than You Think You Should
Your first version doesn’t need to impress anyone.
It just needs to exist.
My early newsletters weren’t great.
But they were consistent.
2. Set a Rule You Can’t Negotiate With
“Once a week” became my anchor.
Clear. Simple. Non-negotiable.
No debating. No adjusting based on mood.
3. Measure Completion, Not Quality
Your job isn’t to create something amazing every time.
Your job is to show up every time.
Quality improves naturally.
4. Let Repetition Build Identity
After enough weeks, something shifts.
You stop being “someone trying to write.”
You become:
Someone who writes every week.
That identity carries you forward.
5. Apply It Beyond Work
This didn’t just apply to writing.
Even time with my daughter followed the same pattern.
At first, it was something I had to consciously make time for.
Then it became routine.
Then it became part of who I am.
That’s how habits work.
They start as effort.
They end as identity.
For Artists and Builders
If you’re an artist trying to build consistency—
This is your foundation.
If you’re building anything long-term—
This is your leverage.
Different goals.
Same principle:
Slow consistency beats fast inconsistency. Every time.
The Shift That Matters
Before:
Taking weeks to start
Overthinking every output
Inconsistent publishing
Restarting instead of continuing
After:
Weekly output without fail
Faster execution
Clearer voice
Momentum that compounds
The Quiet Discipline
You don’t need to move fast.
You need to keep moving.
Because the real advantage isn’t speed.
It’s continuity.
And most people lose that long before they see results.
Ask and You Shall Receive
If you’ve been struggling to stay consistent, try this:
Pick one habit. One schedule. One rule.
Then follow it for the next 30 days.
No skipping. No restarting.
Just forward movement.
If this resonates, tell me:
What’s one thing you can commit to… without breaking the chain?
Because sometimes—
The biggest shift in your life…
Starts with something small you refuse to stop doing.
Subscribe to our newsletter:
Product Links:
#thescribblemedia #indiebasedstudio #animation #comics #webtoon #webcomics #services #platform #illustrationservices #computer #freelance #comicsandmanga #filipino #bisaya #bisdak #clipstudiopaint #clipstudio #clip #studio #ipadpro #tutorial #beginner #tips #videotips #newsletter #inspiration #art #creativedad #struggleofacreativedad #artistdad #artisticmomentum #creativehabits #buildingsystems #atomichabits #atomichabitsbyJamesClear
