Everyone says to “be consistent” — but high performers swear by this instead
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Everyone says to “be consistent” — but high performers swear by this instead
An emerging wave of high performers, from Olympic athletes to plant-based entrepreneurs, are quietly ditching rigid consistency in favor of something more… cyclical. Unlike consistency, which demands the same output every day, seasonality is about intentional fluctuation. A growing number of workplaces are exploring “seasonal sprints”—four- to six-week productivity pushes followed by recovery weeks for reflection, or creativity. This shift from linear to cyclical is more than a trend — it’s a quiet revolution against burnout culture. Gen Z, more than any other generation, is calling out the downsides of hustle ideology, “grind till you make it” is outdated. Here are some tips on how to apply seasonality to your own life without spiraling into chaos without the shame spiral of “falling off’. Back to Mail Online home. Back To the page you came from. The Daily Discussion: Are you a professional athlete or entrepreneur? Share your story with CNN iReport.
Scroll through any motivational content and you’ll find one mantra on repeat: Be consistent.
Whether it’s gym bros, meal preppers, or “that girl” TikTok routines, the advice feels universal.
Pick a schedule. Stick to it. Repeat. Forever.
But here’s the twist: an emerging wave of high performers, from Olympic athletes to plant-based entrepreneurs, are quietly ditching rigid consistency in favor of something more… cyclical.
It’s called seasonality, and it’s catching on for good reason. Unlike consistency, which demands the same output every day, seasonality is about intentional fluctuation.
It’s working in sync with your body, your energy, and yes — even the actual seasons. Recent field research on the UK’s six-month four-day-workweek pilot — 61 companies shifting to a weekly sprint-and-recovery rhythm—found 71% lower employee burnout, 39% less stress, and productivity that held steady while average revenue ticked up 1.4%.
For vegan chefs, content creators, and founders alike, this means planning peak output phases around creative highs and taking restorative breaks when energy dips.
Seasonality doesn’t mean flakiness. It means listening, adjusting, and thriving—without the shame spiral of “falling off.”
What seasonality looks like in real life
So what does this look like outside the lab or the executive suite?
For some, it’s adjusting plant-based meal prep to reflect monthly energy levels.
Think smoothie bowls and raw meals during energetic summer stretches, and cozy curries or casseroles during slower winter weeks. For others, it’s swapping a strict morning routine for a flexible one: yoga on high-energy days, journaling and rest on recovery days.
Take my vegan fitness coach Renae, for example.
She used to post daily gym check-ins and meal macros. “I was obsessed with being consistent—until I hit a total wall,” she says.
“Now, I train hard during what I call my ‘sun cycles,’ and take intentional deload weeks every few months to rest, recalibrate, and play.”
The result?
She’s stronger, happier, and more in tune with her clients’ needs—especially women navigating hormonal cycles. And it’s not just influencers making the shift.
A growing number of workplaces are exploring “seasonal sprints”—four- to six-week productivity pushes followed by recovery weeks for reflection, skill-building, or creativity.
Even meal delivery companies are leaning in, rotating offerings based on client feedback and internal team energy. This shift from linear to cyclical is more than a trend — it’s a quiet revolution against burnout culture.
Why Gen Z is ditching consistency culture
Gen Z, more than any other generation, is calling out the downsides of hustle ideology. To them, “grind till you make it” is outdated.
What’s replacing it?
A model that mirrors nature: ebb and flow, surge and rest. TikTok creators are even coining new terms like “energy budgeting” and “cyclical planning” to describe a more sustainable rhythm of work and wellness.
This shift isn’t about doing less — it’s about doing smarter.
In the plant-based space, this plays out in the rise of seasonal eating, intuitive cooking, and slower, more conscious content cycles.
Vegan food creators have traded daily recipe reels for “seasonal drops” — bundled content launched quarterly.
“When I stopped forcing daily posts and started working in creative waves, my engagement actually went up,” said one creator from a few of those that I follow on Instagram. “People could feel the quality. And I felt way more aligned.”
These creators aren’t lazy — they’re strategic. They’re rejecting sameness in favor of alignment.
And the data backs it up: a 2025 study of 268 young men found that strong adherence to a plant-centric DASH pattern cut the odds of poor mood by more than half.
How to apply seasonality in your own plant-based life
Ready to ditch the shame loop of “I need to be more consistent” and start experimenting with seasonality? Here’s how to do it without spiraling into chaos.
First, take stock of your natural energy highs and lows.
Are you more motivated in the mornings or evenings? Are there certain weeks in your cycle or calendar year where you feel more creative — or more withdrawn?
Start there. Then, plan your meals, movement, and habits accordingly.
Here are a few beginner-friendly ways to bring seasonality into your plant-based routine:
Shift your meal planning by mood and weather. Cold outside? Lean into root veggies, stews, and slow-roasted dishes. Warm and energized? Keep it light with salads, fruit-based snacks, and fermented pickles.
Create content or batch-cook during “sprint” weeks. When you feel motivated, ride the wave—prep extra meals, shoot extra content, try new recipes. Then give yourself permission to coast later.
Align wellness habits with your internal rhythms. Journal when you’re introspective. Move when you’re restless. Rest when you’re depleted. Stop forcing routines that don’t fit your state.
Design rest with intention. Don’t just “take a day off.” Plan a low-effort menu, queue up a podcast, soak your beans the night before. Rest becomes nourishment, not avoidance.
These shifts aren’t radical — they’re rhythmic. Seasonality invites you to work with your body, not against it. And the more you embrace it, the more sustainable — and joyful — your lifestyle becomes.
Why seasonality may be the future of sustainable living
At its core, seasonality isn’t just a personal productivity hack—it’s a mindset that aligns with planetary rhythms.
Nature doesn’t hustle 24/7. Trees don’t grow fruit in winter.
Animals don’t migrate in July just for the grind. They adapt, pause, shift. Our ancestors ate this way, lived this way, worked this way. And maybe we’re finally remembering why.
For those of us living plant-forward, sustainability isn’t just about what’s on the plate—it’s about how we show up for our health, our work, and our community.
Adopting a seasonal rhythm means recognizing when to plant seeds, when to grow, and when to rest.
It doesn’t mean slacking. It means honoring the cycles that already exist—within you, around you, and far beyond your control. Because real consistency isn’t doing the same thing every day.
It’s returning to yourself—again and again—even as the seasons change.