I talked about this recently, but I thought I’d deal with the idea in less abstract terms once more: a lack of planning and perspective often results in unnecessary strain to a system.

In academics, this requires a student to cram at the last minute. Poor retention, and sleep schedule shot to hell. Long-term mastery is traded for short-term information regurgitation, undermining the point of the academic pursuit.

When trying to reach a short-term fitness goal (looking great in a swimsuit for an upcoming trip, for example), diets often aggressively curtail the intake of essential dietary components at the expense of long-term health. Training the body to hang onto carbs and fat once they’re reintroduced to the system (see: after vacation) would seem to be a bit unwise…

And reaching a short-term revenue goal (for the short-sighted freelancer, this is known as “making ends meet”) with a rushed scramble for contracts can result in damaged relationships and lost business.

The situations we get ourselves into by not pacing success over the long haul are completely avoidable. By eliminating unwise, unhealthy, and unprofitable habits on the day-to-day, we set ourselves up for Ben and Jerry’s style success: manageable and even predictable over time.

We’re used to the big push, and type-A workers love “performing under pressure” but the kind of lifestyle you deserve is one that requires long-term planning and the corresponding daily habits.