What’s an extra miler? It’s someone who puts in an extraordinary effort once in a while and then uses that single burst of energy to justify mediocre results. This approach doesn’t work in academics, business, relationships, or any meaningful pursuit.
The Problem with Heroic Efforts
When you cram sixteen hours of studying into a single Saturday, you’re not setting yourself up for success. You’re setting yourself up for burnout, minimal retention, and disappointment. Your brain doesn’t work that way. Information needs time to process, connections need to form, and understanding needs to develop.
One heroic study session doesn’t make up for weeks of neglect. Yet so many of us convince ourselves that these occasional marathons of effort should somehow compensate for our daily lack of discipline.
I’ve seen this pattern repeatedly throughout my career coaching entrepreneurs and athletes. People who achieve lasting success rarely rely on occasional heroics. Instead, they build systems of consistent, daily progress.
View this post on Instagram
The Power of Consistency
Consider this alternative: What if instead of that sixteen-hour cram session, you had studied just fifteen minutes every day? By the end of the semester, those daily fifteen-minute sessions would have equaled or exceeded that marathon study session. But the results would be dramatically different.
With consistent daily practice:
- Your brain has time to process and integrate information
- You build neural pathways through repetition
- You avoid the stress and anxiety of last-minute cramming
- You develop sustainable habits that serve you long-term
This principle applies far beyond academics. In business, I’ve watched companies achieve remarkable growth through consistent daily actions rather than occasional “big push” initiatives that leave everyone exhausted.
Small Actions, Compound Results
The math is compelling. Fifteen minutes daily for a typical semester equals or exceeds that single sixteen-hour session. But the outcomes aren’t even comparable. The daily practice would likely result in an A+, while the cramming approach often yields disappointing Cs.
Why such different results from the same amount of total time? Because learning—like most valuable things in life—responds to consistency more than intensity.
Small actions, performed consistently, create compound results that massive one-time efforts simply cannot match.
I’ve applied this principle throughout my career. When I was at Leigh Steinberg Sports & Entertainment, I didn’t build relationships with athletes through occasional grand gestures. I built them through consistent, daily attention and care.
Breaking the Extra Mile Mindset
If you recognize yourself in this pattern, here’s how to break free:
- Identify one area where you tend to rely on “heroic efforts”
- Determine the minimum effective daily dose (often just 15-30 minutes)
- Schedule this time as non-negotiable
- Track your consistency, not just your total hours
- Celebrate streaks of daily practice more than occasional marathons
The key is understanding that consistency beats intensity almost every time. This isn’t just about studying—it applies to fitness, business development, relationship building, and personal growth.
Next time you find yourself planning a marathon session to make up for lost time, pause and reconsider. Ask yourself: “What small, daily action could I take instead that would yield better results over time?”
The path to excellence isn’t paved with occasional heroics. It’s built through humble, consistent daily actions that compound over time. Stop being an extra miler and start being an every-dayer. Your results—and your stress levels—will thank you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: But don’t some situations require intense effort or “cramming”?
While there are occasional situations that demand intense effort, relying on this approach as your primary strategy is ineffective. Emergency situations might require cramming, but if you find yourself regularly in “emergency mode,” that’s a sign your system is broken, not that cramming works.
Q: How do I find time for daily practice when my schedule is already packed?
Start with just 15 minutes—that’s less than 2% of your waking hours. Most people can find 15 minutes by reducing social media use, waking up slightly earlier, or combining practice with another activity (like listening to language lessons during a commute). The key is making it non-negotiable.
Q: What if I miss a day of my daily practice?
Missing a single day isn’t the problem—it’s missing multiple days that breaks momentum. If you miss a day, simply resume the next day without trying to “make up” the missed time. The goal is consistency over the long term, not perfection.
Q: How long does it take to see results from daily practice versus cramming?
Daily practice typically shows meaningful results within 2-4 weeks, while cramming might help you pass a single test but rarely builds lasting knowledge or skills. The compound effect of daily practice becomes increasingly apparent over months and years.
Q: Can this approach work for physical skills like sports or music, not just academic learning?
Absolutely. In fact, physical and creative skills often respond even better to consistent practice than academic subjects. Musicians, athletes, and artists who practice daily for moderate periods consistently outperform those who practice intensely but sporadically.
