I hate to admit it, but streaks—consecutive days of doing something—work on me. And if I’m really candid, most of the time, the loss of breaking a streak is slightly more motivating than the positive feelings I get from seeing a long streak.
A Streak For Streak’s Sake
For example, I currently have a 192-day streak of using Duolingo (language learning).
That’s cool, but I actually think I’m over it. We’re back from Spain, and it doesn’t look like I’m going to Mexico this year. So, my motivation to keep going is relatively low. I know it’s probably good for me to keep going, but if it weren’t for that 192, I would have stopped two weeks ago!
How crazy powerful is that?!
For The Love Of It
But there are others that I genuinely enjoy doing every day, regardless of the streak counter. For example, DayOne (journaling), Readwise (book highlights), and MyFitnessPal (calorie tracking).
But here’s what’s interesting: these allow for catching up, and I do that occasionally. And it’s not because I want to ensure I journal or get the review - it’s simply to keep the streak alive!
Broken Dreams... I mean... Streaks
And then there are others that I wish I still had a streak in but no longer do, like Quip (teeth brushing) and Fitbod (strength training). Here are the streaks I had in January (when I originally conceived of this post).
Alas, quip connects to my toothbrush via Bluetooth, and it couldn’t handle the time change in Spain. So, on one day, I have 3 brushings, and on another, I only have one brushing. The steak is broken, and there’s no way to “fix it.”
Does it count that I physically did the responsible thing and brushed twice daily in real life? Nope!
And then there’s these sad situations.
Twenty-three weeks was pretty good, but I got sick after returning from our trip. Combine it with bad weather, and well, the streak is broken. I totally own this one, and I don’t even have the satisfaction of knowing in my heart I put in the work.
You’d think the whole “I didn’t work out” thing would bother me, but nope! The loss of the streak is what bothers me!
Sure, I know I can “just start again,” but the whole point of this tirade is my admission that keeping the streak is somehow, inexplicitly, more motivating than the actual thing.
Why Streaks Are Powerful
I wanted to know why this works so well on me (and presumably others). Here’s what I learned:
Loss Aversion
It’s not just the steak I’d lose. It’s the effort, identity, and progress associated with it. And I (apparently) value a loss much more than a win, so I put in more effort to avoid all those losses.
Identity Reinforcement
Streaks become part of my self-perception. “I’m the kind of person who doesn’t miss a day of brushing.” Or “I’m the kind of person who values reading.” The steak acts as an easily identifiable external signal of the kind of person I am. This is why recovering alcoholics track how long it’s been since they had a drink.
The Zeigarnik Effect
Streaks keep a task “open” in my mind. If I don’t get to Duolingo first thing in the morning, I think about it the rest of the day, trying to remember to do it. [David Allen](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Allen_(author)) would shed a tear for me. That desire for closure compels me to keep the steak alive.
Progress Triggers Dopamine
There’s actually a physical, addictive component to streaks. Each step releases dopamine, which reinforces my action. Knowing this kind of makes me want to do a streak detox and break all of them for a week. (But I probably won’t, hence the addictive part...)
Commitment & Consistency Bias
Streaks become a psychological contract with myself. I desire to be consistent with things I’ve already done, so a small streak starts creating internal pressure to remain consistent with my prior actions. The longer it goes, the stronger it gets.
So, streaks work because they intertwine behavior with emotion, identity, memory, and even brain chemistry. And thanks to smartphones and apps, streaks are easier than ever to create.
I’m unsure if my situation is a good or bad thing. I suppose since all of mine are healthy habits, it’s good?
But knowing how powerful they are on me, it’s good to be aware of for some not-so-healthy habit-forming apps, like some smartphone games.
PS. In case you haven’t noticed, I posted once a month last year. Here I am in the last week of March, keeping the streak alive...
PPS. This would probably work on me if it weren’t so hidden. Thankfully, Apple’s too concerned about my mental health to put it front and center.
