Everyone seems to have a different metric for what it takes to build momentum.

But here’s something I’ve learned: Before momentum can take place, you need consistency.

There’s actually research behind this. One study on habit formation found that it took participants anywhere from 18 to 254 days to make a new behavior feel like second nature.

Think about that for a minute.

There isn’t a universal timeline. People develop habits and routines at different rates. But consistency plays an important role in that process.

I believe 90 days of consistent behavior can tell you a lot about yourself.

For example, when I look at my social media after 90 days, there are a few things I want to evaluate.

First, have I gotten better at showing up?

Has my communication improved?

Have I gotten better at hooking people in during the first three seconds?

Am I getting people to stay past the eight-second mark?

There are so many different metrics we can measure. But here’s the question: Can any of those things truly be measured if you’re not consistent?

Let’s say I get a few things right.

Let’s say I get better at creating hooks, and I become more comfortable showing up on camera.

But maybe I’m still struggling to get people to stay past eight seconds.

That’s OK.

Now I have something else to work on for the next 90 days.

I can have all the best things in the world to say, but if people aren’t sticking around long enough to hear them, that’s another opportunity for me to get better.

Then maybe it takes another 90 days to learn how to communicate with my customers more effectively.

Am I talking to them in a way that serves them? Am I communicating in a way that helps them understand how my product can change their lives?

Those things take time.

And a lot of times, we look at people without looking at their roots. We don’t look at how long they’ve been working, what they’ve been learning, or what they’re doing every single day.

Please don’t fall into the trap of thinking that once you start something, it should automatically take off.

That’s not how it works.

And don’t let anyone convince you otherwise.

I love the saying that a year is going to pass anyway. So why not take that year and get better at what you do?

Here’s what I’m suggesting.

Break that year down into 90-day cycles.

Use each cycle to work on something. Measure your progress. Identify what needs improvement. Then go into the next 90 days with a better understanding of what you’re doing.

Don’t just spend the year trying to get results. Spend the year becoming better at producing them.

Then, when you look back after 12 months, you can see your progress. You can see your consistency. You can see what you’ve learned and how much you’ve improved.

And whether you realize it or not, you’ve been building momentum along the way.

Stop expecting momentum before you’ve built the consistency to support it..