I’ve heard people who exercise routine in their lives just so they can achieve some goal. To most, that is money or simple material gain. By popularity or common wisdom; this method works. If you consistently work towards something and factors hold constant to your favor; time will reward you appropriately. However I tend to find flaw in this.
Here’s a postulate to help us reason this. Imagine two versions of yourself.
One attended all the motivational seminars because that was the right thing to do. He attends gym like clock work and so is his life; like a clock. Everything on a fixed schedule. It is hard to tell if his life has any excesses because everything seems so balanced; diet included. His day begins with some meditation, an hour of reading and a work out session.
The other seems to have survived on whim. His day begins when sleep is exhausted. There’s no routine but for the coffee he needs to get his brain booted. Grooming comes after he has executed the code idea that the coffee brings. Some time later he might check his mail but not on a fresh mind. His idea of meditation involves adrenaline.
Both of these versions are equally talented at developing software. The difference being their lifestyles. In an ordinary world, the consistent one wins. However being that change is the only true constant and in a realistic world; I’d put my money on the developer running on caffeine and adrenaline.
Less than a second separates the top ten drivers in a formula one qualifying session. In perspective that means if you were to experience a second whilst they crossed the line; ten drivers would have passed by you. Now, what separates the winners from the runners up? Considering that they are all talented and posses the courage to drive at averages of three hundred kilometers per hour; balls. Or the capability to push what others thought impossible. In short, break the boundary rules.
If this were allowed, races would cascade into some epic fight scenes. Engineers would design cars meant to break these barriers and drivers would aim to break them. Fans would aim to almost touch the car during races for the ultimate experience. We have been here and as anyone can guess; it was a disaster.
The effect to this was the introduction of rules which increased the difficulty to speed. Do drivers still win, yes; those who dare speed better than the rest. This holds constant across all life circles. Business, work and in our case; development.
A rock-star developer will curve his life around the current object in life. He lives on the now and doesn’t really about the future because it always works itself out. The teetotaler will always live his life as he prescribed it the schedule to be; regardless.
What happens if I gave the two the same project? One will just slot it in his schedule and continue living his life. The other might cancel a trip just so he can curve around the project. He will most likely stock up on supplies and lock himself in till the solution is done.
If I were to take a look at the most successful of us; balance was long broken and the tell tale signs include the inability to hold on to a family or poor social skills. Is consistency real? No. Consistency is perceived and only holds truth to the beholder.
It is not a proven recipe to success neither is it in line with nature which barely embraces uniformity. Nature runs on balance and change. Consistency belongs to people who live under the illusion of control.
If the moment feels right; live it to your fill.