Showing up once is good. Showing up again is great. Showing up consistently is where the magic happens. From weight control to improved mood and better sleep, the benefits of consistently exercising are endless.

If you’ve been wanting to be more consistent in your workouts, you must make it a habit. Like brushing your teeth and making your bed, hitting the gym should become a part of your daily routine. You should feel “off” if you don’t get in your target amount of workouts per week.

Even on days when you don’t feel like going to the gym, go anyway. Consistently showing up creates a compounding effect that boosts the likelihood that you’ll keep attending workouts and thus, continue to see results.

We love the below quote from James Clear, author of Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad ones

“Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become. No single instance will transform your beliefs, but as the votes build up, so does the evidence of your new identity.”

Here’s another powerful quote that speaks to the power of consistency. This one comes from Tim Grover, who has worked with some of the greatest athletes — Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, to name a few.

“Do. The. Work. Every day, you have to do something you don’t want to do. Every day. Challenge yourself to be uncomfortable, push past the apathy and laziness and fear.” — From the book Relentless: From Good to Great to Unstoppable.

Consistently showing up is hard. But it’s these hard moments that begin to toughen us and give us the strength to keep putting in the work. Having one stellar workout is great, but having several is where you’ll begin to see the results you desire.

Thankfully, working out in groups encourages consistent behavior. Knowing that others are holding you accountable can give you extra drive to show up on days you’d rather sleep in or post up on the couch after work. Creating systems that encourage healthy, consistent behavior can make showing up much easier.

Try putting some of these systems in place in your daily routine. Put on your workout clothes first thing in the morning. Prepare your pre-workout drink the night before. Ask someone to provide accountability. Establish “benchmark goals” that aren’t too daunting. All these little strategies compounded together can create great change physically and emotionally.