Many times throughout the year, whether it be in January or our birthday, we get an internal urge to change. We recognize in ourselves ways in which we could improve, and acknowledge that we’re not who we want to be. In those moments, we resolve to change.

The next thought is usually expansive planning about how to reach our destination. We need the perfect plan, the perfect setup, the perfect time. False starts abound as we tee up our “Ready, set…” moments. Whiffing leaves us demoralized, or just the distractions of life carry us off on to some bigger, better thing.

Like Charlie Brown kicking a football, I’ve fallen for this, too. It’s why I’m always so shocked that a lack of planning is the best indicator of my success at change.

I’ve considered myself a walker for 12 years, but in the last two, there’s only been one four-week period in which I’ve walked every single day. It’s not for a lack of trying, and I did have a foot injury that kept me off the street for many mornings. But my foot wasn’t what kept me from walking; my choices did.

Yesterday was 21 days in a row that I’ve walked. I didn’t set out to make April 27th my start day, it was a Sunday. Successful exercise plans, as we all know, begin correctly on Monday morning at 5:00am. They never start on a Sunday afternoon. But here I am.

Momentum is built up, and even on those marginal days when there’s legitimately some other task that’s deserving of my time, I choose to walk. When I give up on lining up the Ready, Set moments, and instead put in the work without questions, excuses, or plans, I win.