Why You Should Never Abandon What’s Working

You've been there. You commit to a new routine—a stricter diet, a specific lifting cycle, a complex footwork drill—and for weeks, you grind. The progress is slow, sometimes imperceptible, but you stick to it. Then, finally, you hit a stride. You feel stronger, you move quicker, your performance jumps up a level.

And then, the doubt creeps in.

“Maybe I should switch to a different lift, just to shock the muscles.”

“This drill is getting boring. Maybe I need something flashier.”

“I’m good now. I can dial back the frequency.”

This is the athlete’s most dangerous trap: Abandoning the successful process right before the greatest breakthrough.

The Law of Diminishing Returns vs. The Law of Accumulation

Many athletes fall into the trap of constantly chasing the "next best thing," a mindset driven by the modern information overload.

The Problem with "Switching It Up"

We often seek variety too quickly, mistaking a lack of excitement for a lack of effectiveness. This mindset is based on the Law of Diminishing Returns—the idea that the benefits of a process eventually slow down. While this is true eventually, most athletes quit long before they truly hit that ceiling.

The Power of Accumulation

True mastery is built on the Law of Accumulation. Every repetition of a successful process—every consistent meal, every proper warm-up, every foundational drill—adds a tiny, invisible layer of improvement.

This accumulation doesn't show up in a neat, linear line. It looks more like a slow, flat curve... and then, suddenly, it explodes upward!

The "Horizon" Effect: Why Breakthroughs Feel Sudden

In reality, your breakthrough isn't sudden. It's the moment when all those invisible layers of accumulation finally reach critical mass.

Imagine you are trying to chop down a massive tree. You swing the axe 99 times, and nothing visible happens. The tree stands firm. On the 100th swing, the tree falls. Did the 100th swing do all the work? No. It simply leveraged the cumulative effect of the previous 99.

In training, the "tree falling" moment is the breakthrough—the sudden ability to lift a new personal record, execute a difficult move effortlessly, or sustain a high pace that was previously impossible.

If you stop at swing number 80 because "this axe technique isn't working," you just wasted 80 swings.

3 Rules to Stay the Course

When you feel the urge to stop a successful routine, use these three rules to keep digging:

1. Define "What's Working" Objectively

Don't rely on how you feel—rely on data.

• Is your PR going up? (Even if only by \bm{0.5 \text{ kg}} or \bm{1 \text{ second}}.)

• Are your coaches/teammates noticing consistency?

• Are you experiencing fewer injuries?

If the objective evidence shows positive forward motion, the process is working. Period.

2. Introduce Variety Within the Framework

Instead of scrapping the entire successful routine, introduce small variations that complement the core process.

• Example: If your strength routine is working, don't swap the main lifts. Change the rep scheme (e.g., from \bm{5 \times 5} to \bm{3 \times 10}) or the rest time.

• Example: If your footwork drill is working, don't change the drill. Change the speed or add a visual distraction (like a coach yelling) to increase difficulty.

3. Recognize the Test

Boredom, fatigue, and the temptation to quit are often the final tests required for mastery. The ability to execute a foundational, successful routine with maximal effort and focus when it's become repetitive is the definition of professionalism. It’s a sign that you are closing in on the breakthrough.

The most consistent athletes are the ones who realize that the unexciting, repetitive work is the foundation for the spectacular, sudden success.

Don't stop digging. The next swing might be the one that breaks through.

What foundational routine are you sticking with right now, even when it gets boring?