Routine is doing what you want

Eat pumpkin pie for breakfast, every single day, that is a routine. End every phone call with “Aye Aye Cap’n”, that qualifies too. A routine is doing what you want, as much as you want, and that is a life well lived.

Routines get a bad rap. The root of “route” implies a path to some goal, but emphasizing goals is a mistake. Goals are dark monoliths that cast a shadow on all that you do in their name.

Routines are action and repetition wrapped in intention. (And repetition breeds affection.) They don’t judge. Goals taunt you until they are realized. For pure, uncut achievement, bias towards goals. For achievement and contentment, bias toward routines.

Of course, they are related. Choosing a goal means adopting the routine that gets you there. Adopting a routine is to accept its inevitable outcome. So choose a routine that lets you do what you want and takes you where you want.

You may object to the repetition of routine, but novelty can only take shape against a backdrop of familiarity. You need a steady beat before you can break into song.