The language of self-improvement is often extreme: transformation, reinvention, breakthrough.
But athletes rarely talk that way.
Ultra runner Tom Evans has described progress as a long, unglamorous process:
"The biggest gains don’t come from massive changes," he says. "They come from stacking decent days together and not overreacting to the bad ones."
That philosophy is increasingly backed by behavioural science. Studies consistently show that identity-safe habits — changes that don’t threaten how someone sees themselves — are more likely to stick.
Former England cricketer Ebony Rainford-Brent has articulated this in the context of life after sport:
"You don’t stop being driven just because you stop competing," she says. "You just have to redefine what progress looks like."
SIGNS THAT YOU’RE BUILDING SUSTAINABLE FOCUS
1. You’re consistent, not perfect
2. You recover faster from setbacks
3. You measure progress over months, not days
THE FINAL WORD
Momentum beats motivation. Every time.
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