BE CONSISTENT!  You've probably been told that once or twice, huh? And it's definitely important, but... What if consistency is holding you back in some way? Consistency is us in our comfort zone which means we'll likely experience steady performance. Pretty cool, right? Maybe, maybe not. It can be good and it can be bad.  What if the thing you're consistent about is smoking, excessive drinking, drug use, or indulging in your favorite ice cream?   You get the idea. Improvisational mindset (IM) is optimal anxiety leading to maximized performance.  It's us saying, "yes, and," to opportunities that might scare us a little.  As you learn new things, keep this in mind: We all experience 4 levels of learning. LEVELS OF LEARNING Unconscious incompetent (We don't know what we don't know.) Conscious incompetent (Now we know what we don't know.) Conscious competent (We know what we're doing.) Unconscious competence (We can do the activity without thinking about it.) Be patient with yourself as you endeavor to change bad habits, instill new ones, and become a stronger, more confident person. What are you doing to shake up your routine?  Useful links The Science of Breaking Out of Your Comfort Zone Build Better Habits with the Improvisational Mindset GE Personal Security Kit (for apartments) Sarah E. Goode The Five Minute Journal