"It's not whether you get knocked down, it's whether you get up."

Vince Lombardi, serial winner with the NFL's Green Bay Packers

Allowing for slips is essential when building new habits because perfection is unrealistic, and expecting it sets you up for disappointment. Life is unpredictable—there will be busy days, unexpected events, or moments when motivation just isn't there. Missing a day or two doesn’t mean you’ve failed; it’s a natural part of the process. What matters most is how you respond afterward.

By accepting that slips are normal, you remove the shame and guilt that often cause people to quit entirely. Many people fall into the trap of the "what-the-hell effect," where one small mistake spirals into giving up altogether. Instead, treating a missed day as a minor bump rather than a collapse keeps you focused on the long game.

The key principle is simple: never miss twice. Missing once is an accident; missing twice is the beginning of a new (undesired) habit. If you quickly get back on track, the overall progress remains intact.

Self-compassion during slip-ups strengthens resilience. It teaches you to see habit formation not as an all-or-nothing sprint, but as a flexible, forgiving journey. By building habits with the expectation that mistakes will happen—and that you will bounce back—you create a much stronger, more sustainable foundation for real, lasting change.