I'm Gretchen Rubin and this is a little happier.

As a writer, when I put something out into the world,

I never quite sure what will resonate most with people.

For instance, of everything that I have ever written,

the days are long, but the years are short,

is probably the single phrase that has struck people most deeply.

After the publication of my book Better Than Before,

my book about how to change your habits,

I was very surprised that one single phrase

is seem to hit really hard with people.

It's a phrase that's part of my habits, man, of stah.

What I do every day matters more than what I do once in a while.

For me, this idea is very helpful in two directions.

First of all, it's a reassuring thought when I screw up.

When I'm usually pretty good with a habit that I stumble along the way,

it's good to remind myself that what I do every day,

or at least most days, matters more than what I do once in a while.

If I exercise most days, if I usually arrive on time,

if I'm usually able to refrain from snapping at my family members,

that matters more than the few times that I drop the ball.

On the other hand, it's also an important reminder that a heroic effort once in a while

is unlikely to do me as much good as making consistent efforts over the long term.

...