A bit like you're Sisyphus, constantly pushing a boulder up a hill only to watch it roll back down.

這有點像薛西弗斯，不斷地把巨石推上山，卻只能眼睜睜地看著它滾下來。

The struggle is real and you're not alone.

掙扎是真實的，你並不孤單。

We've all been there.

我們都經歷過。

Maybe you set your mind on a goal, swore to stick to a plan, only to stop once your motivation fizzled out.

也許你曾立下目標，發誓要堅持執行計劃，但一旦你的動力消失，你就會停下腳步。

Whether it's learning a new language, controlling your spending, or becoming more active, staying consistently on track is hard.

無論是學習一門新語言、控制支出，還是變得更加積極，要始終保持正確的方向都很難。

But do you know why?

但你知道為什麼嗎？

Well, psychology has a few answers for you.

心理學為你提供了一些答案。

Let's dive in, shall we?

讓我們深入瞭解一下，好嗎？

The brain's tug of war.

大腦的拔河比賽。

According to neurologists, our minds tend to strongly lean towards what's predictable.

根據神經學家的研究，我們的思維會強烈傾向於可預測的事物。

We are hardwired to enjoy what's easy, safe, and comfortable over what's not.

我們天生就喜歡簡單、安全和舒適的東西，而不喜歡不簡單、不安全和不舒適的東西。

Often when we struggle to stay consistent, it's because our goal is neither of these things.

通常，當我們努力保持一致時，是因為我們的目標不是這些。

For example, exercising more.

例如，加強鍛鍊。

Going to the gym seems like such a hassle when we could just lay in bed all night watching TV like we usually do, right?

如果我們能像往常一樣整晚躺在床上看電視，去健身房似乎就是一件麻煩事，不是嗎？

But like the famous BoJack Horseman quote goes, "It gets easier every day."

但就像《馬男波傑克》那句名言所說的那樣「每天都會變得更輕鬆」。

It gets easier, but you have to do it every day.

它會變得越來越容易，但你必須每天都這樣做。

That's the hard part.

這是最困難的部分。

That's why self-help experts recommend the 10-minute hack.

這就是自助專家推薦「10 分鐘方法」的原因。

Commit to doing a task for just 10 minutes and it won't seem so exhausting anymore.

承諾只花 10 分鐘完成一項任務，它就不會顯得那麼疲憊了。

Often getting started is the hardest part, but once you do, everything seems more manageable.

開始往往是最難的部分，但一旦開始了，一切都會變得更加容易掌控。

The instant gratification monkey.

急功近利的猴子。

Another interesting thing about our brains is that we crave immediate reward.

我們大腦的另一個有趣之處在於，我們渴望立即得到回報。

So when you're trying to be consistent, it'll suddenly come up with so many other more fun, easier things to do, like watch Netflix or go on social media.

所以當你努力保持一致時，它會突然想出很多其他更有趣、更容易做的事情，比如看 Netflix 或上社交媒體。

Studying, for example, is more about long-term gain than instant gratification.

例如，學習更多的是為了長遠的利益，而不是一時的滿足。

Do it for too long and you'll suddenly start thinking to yourself, just one more episode won't hurt, or I'll start studying after a quick scroll through Instagram.

時間長了，你就會突然開始想，再看一集也無妨，或者在快速瀏覽 Instagram 之後，我就開始學習了。

So instead of trying to study continuously for hours, experts recommend taking short 5 to 15-minute breaks in between to satisfy your need for immediate gratification.

所以專家建議，不要試圖連續學習幾個小時，而是在中間休息 5 到 15 分鐘，以滿足你對即時滿足感的需求。

This is called the Pomodoro method, a well-recommended studying strategy.

這被稱為「番茄鐘工作法」，是一種廣受推崇的學習策略。

Know accountability.

瞭解問責制。

When you're struggling to stay consistent with something, share your goals with a friend or partner.

當你難以堅持做某件事時，與朋友或夥伴分享你的目標。

That way, you'll have someone to hold you accountable for your progress, because without accountability, it's easy to succumb to the whims of the instant gratification monkey or the allure of procrastination.

這樣，你就會有人為你的進步負責，因為如果沒有責任感，你就很容易屈服於急功近利的猴子或拖延症的誘惑。

This leads to inconsistency because there's no external force gently nudging you back on track or acknowledging your achievements along the way.

這就導致了不一致性，因為沒有外力輕輕地促使你回到正軌，或肯定你一路走來的成就。

But when you know someone is rooting for you, expecting updates on your progress, it adds a layer of responsibility that can be a powerful motivator.

但是，當你知道有人在支持你，期待著你的最新進展時，你就會多一份責任感，這可能是一種強大的動力。

The fear of letting your accountability partner down can be just the push you need to stick to your commitments, even when the going gets tough.

害怕讓你的責任夥伴失望，這可能正是你堅持承諾所需要的動力，即使在困難重重的時候。

Procrastination, no preparation.

拖拖拉拉，毫無準備。

If you've made it this far, you'll hopefully already have a good idea about why we procrastinate.

如果你看到這裡，希望你已經對我們拖延的原因有了一定的瞭解。

Any guesses?

猜猜看？

Yeah, that's right.

是的，沒錯。

The instant gratification monkey.

急功近利的猴子。

Our brains love immediate satisfaction.

我們的大腦喜歡立即得到滿足。

Fortunately, there are plenty of techniques you can try to overcome your procrastination, like eat the frog, tackle the big stuff first, or atomic habits, small doable steps.

幸運的是，你可以嘗試很多方法來克服拖延症，比如吃掉青蛙、先解決大問題，或者養成原子習慣、採取可行的小步驟。

You can also do meditation or mindfulness to stay on track every time you feel yourself getting distracted, whatever you do.

你還可以進行冥想或正念，以便在每次感到自己分心時，無論做什麼都能保持正確的方向。

Just keep in mind that today's tasks are either going to be tomorrow's victories or headache.

只要記住，今天的任務不是明天的勝利，就是明天的頭痛。

Skip the slacking.

不要偷懶。

Your future self deserves better than cleaning up your mess.

你未來的自己應該得到比收拾殘局更好的待遇。

Crush them now, and your future self will thank you.

現在就粉碎它們，你未來的自己會感謝你的。

Perfectionist paralysis.

完美主義癱瘓症。

Raise a hand if you've ever abandoned a project because it didn't meet your sky-high standards.

如果你曾經因為某個項目不符合你的高標準而放棄了它，請舉手示意。

We've all been there.

我們都經歷過。

The fear of not doing things perfectly can lead to not doing them at all.

害怕事情做得不完美會導致根本不做。

But being too afraid to make mistakes or fall short is only getting in the way of our own progress.

但是，害怕犯錯和失敗只會阻礙我們的進步。

The fix?

解決辦法是什麼？

Embrace imperfection.

擁抱不完美。

Realize mistakes are stepping stones, not roadblocks.

認識到錯誤是墊腳石，而不是路障。

Break tasks into smaller, achievable chunks, and learn to enjoy the process.

將任務分解成較小的、可實現的區塊，並學會享受過程。

You'll not only ease the pressure on yourself, but also foster a healthier and more productive mindset.

你不僅能減輕自己的壓力，還能培養更健康、更高效的心態。

Remember, Rome wasn't built in a day.

請記住，羅馬不是一天造成的。

So there you have it, dear viewers.

親愛的觀眾們，就是這樣。

Consistency really is a tricky thing to master, but hopefully unraveling these secrets together gave you a better idea on how to tackle it.

要掌握一致性確實是一件棘手的事情，但希望通過一起解開這些祕密，能讓你更好地瞭解如何解決這個問題。

Remember, it's okay to stumble, take a break, or even take an unplanned detour sometimes.

記住，有時磕磕絆絆、歇歇腳，甚至走一些計劃外的彎路，都沒有關係。

Be kind to yourself and simply start over.

善待自己，重新開始。

With a bit of patience, grit, and self-awareness, you can achieve anything you set your mind to.

只要有一點耐心、勇氣和自知之明，你就能實現任何你想實現的目標。

So what habit are you trying to stay consistent with?

那麼，你在努力堅持什麼習慣呢？

Let us know in the comments down below.

請在下面的評論中告訴我們。

And if you're interested in learning more about this topic, click here to watch "Six Habits That Will Make Your Life Happie" and "How to Change Your Life in Six Months."

如果你有興趣瞭解更多相關資訊，請點擊此處觀看《讓你的生活更幸福的六個習慣》和《如何在六個月內改變你的生活》的影片。

Don't forget to like, share, and subscribe before you go.

離開前別忘了按讚、分享和訂閱。

Thanks for watching.

感謝觀看。