consistency score

The consistency score evaluates a supplement routine against the five conditions of the Consistency Index: signal, clarity, readiness, placement, and resilience. It identifies where the routine is structurally weak and what that weakness costs. It does not measure motivation or discipline. Those are not the variables.

Part one · score methodology

Each of the five conditions — signal, clarity, readiness, placement, resilience — is evaluated by three questions. Each question has four response options scored 0, 1, 2, or 3. Each condition therefore produces a score between 0 and 9. The total consistency score runs from 0 to 45.

Condition scores below 5 out of 9 indicate a structural gap in that condition. A total score below 25 indicates that the routine is primarily running on memory and motivation rather than design. This makes it fragile.

Part two · the questions

Answer each question based on how your supplement routine actually operates — not how you intend it to operate or how it works on good days.

Condition 1 — Signal

Signal is the cue that initiates the routine. Every behaviour depends on a trigger. Without a reliable signal, the routine only happens when remembered — and memory is unreliable. When signal is weak, forgetting supplements becomes the default outcome.

S1. Can you see your supplements — or something that represents them — the moment you reach the point in your day when you would take them?

  • 3 — yes, they are always visible at exactly the right moment
  • 2 — usually; occasionally I have to go looking
  • 1 — sometimes; I often don't see them until later in the day
  • 0 — rarely; they are stored out of sight most of the time

S2. Does your supplement routine start at the same point in your day — linked to a consistent anchor (e.g. brushing teeth, making coffee, waking up)?

  • 3 — yes, it is always attached to a consistent daily anchor
  • 2 — usually, though the anchor sometimes shifts
  • 1 — loosely; it varies depending on how the morning goes
  • 0 — no, it has no consistent trigger point

S3. When you miss your supplement, what is the most common reason?

  • 3 — I rarely miss; the cue is reliable enough that it catches me
  • 2 — travel or unusual schedules occasionally break it
  • 1 — I often forget; I go whole days without remembering
  • 0 — I frequently miss because there is no reliable reminder

Signal subtotal: ___ / 9

Condition 2 — Clarity

Clarity is the absence of uncertainty at the moment of action. A routine that requires decisions — what to take, when to take it, whether you already have — adds cognitive weight every day it runs. The AM/PM Framework directly addresses clarity by separating morning and evening supplements structurally.

C1. Do you know, without checking or thinking, exactly what you take each morning and each evening?

  • 3 — yes, it is completely clear; no decisions required
  • 2 — mostly; I occasionally second-guess one or two items
  • 1 — not always; I often have to remind myself what belongs in each session
  • 0 — no, I regularly have to look things up or guess

C2. When you reach for your supplements, can you immediately see whether you have already taken them today?

  • 3 — yes, it is immediately obvious without any recollection required
  • 2 — usually; I have a system but it is not always clear
  • 1 — not reliably; I often ask myself 'did I take it?' without being sure
  • 0 — no, I regularly cannot tell whether I have taken my supplements

C3. Are your morning supplements clearly separated from your evening supplements?

  • 3 — yes, fully separated; no ambiguity about what belongs where
  • 2 — mostly; some separation exists but it is not airtight
  • 1 — loosely; I have a general idea but still make errors
  • 0 — no, everything is together; I decide in the moment

Clarity subtotal: ___ / 9

Condition 3 — Readiness

Readiness is whether the routine is prepared before it is needed. A routine that requires setup at the moment of execution creates friction that compounds under pressure. When mornings are difficult, readiness is the difference.

R1. When you get to the point in your day to take your supplements, are they already loaded, organised, and ready to take — with no preparation required?

  • 3 — yes, always; the only action required is taking them
  • 2 — usually; occasionally I have to locate or sort something
  • 1 — sometimes; I often have to open multiple bottles or make decisions
  • 0 — no, I prepare from scratch each time

R2. On your most chaotic or pressured days — early meetings, late wake-ups, rushed mornings — does your supplement routine still happen?

  • 3 — yes, the system is simple enough that it holds even under pressure
  • 2 — usually, though I occasionally skip on the hardest days
  • 1 — rarely on difficult days; the routine is only easy when conditions are good
  • 0 — no, any disruption to my morning tends to cancel the supplements

R3. How many separate actions does your supplement routine require — from first contact to taking your last supplement?

  • 3 — one or two actions; open, take, close
  • 2 — three to four actions; minimal but some steps involved
  • 1 — five or more actions; multiple bottles, decisions, or locations
  • 0 — I lose count; the routine is genuinely effortful each time

Readiness subtotal: ___ / 9

Condition 4 — Placement

Placement is whether the routine is positioned where the behaviour naturally occurs. Proximity removes the activation cost that separates intention from action. A supplement that requires a journey to retrieve is a supplement at risk.

P1. Where do your supplements currently live?

  • 3 — on a counter, shelf, or surface where I naturally am when I would take them
  • 2 — nearby but not exactly where I need them; some retrieval required
  • 1 — in a cabinet, drawer, or bag; out of sight unless I seek them out
  • 0 — in multiple locations, or wherever I left them last

P2. Could your supplement system move with you to a hotel, Airbnb, or friend's house without any repacking, sorting, or preparation?

  • 3 — yes, the entire system is self-contained and travel-ready at all times
  • 2 — mostly; I could take it but would need to prepare it first
  • 1 — no, I would need to decant into bags or leave some things behind
  • 0 — no, travel completely breaks my supplement routine

P3. When your supplements are in the right place, does taking them require you to go somewhere different from where you already are?

  • 3 — no, they are exactly where the behaviour naturally happens
  • 2 — a small detour; nearby but not automatic
  • 1 — a deliberate trip to another room or location
  • 0 — they are far enough away that I regularly decide it is not worth it

Placement subtotal: ___ / 9

Condition 5 — Resilience

Resilience is the ability to return to a routine after it has been interrupted. It is the most underaddressed condition. A missed day is rarely the problem. The problem is the gap between the missed day and the restart — and how long that gap is allowed to grow. The Resilience Gap covers this in full.

Re1. After a disruption — travel, illness, unusual schedule — how long does it typically take you to return to your full supplement routine?

  • 3 — one day or less; the routine restarts naturally the next morning
  • 2 — two to three days; it comes back quickly once I am home
  • 1 — a week or more; I have to consciously restart and it takes effort
  • 0 — months, or it does not come back; disruption effectively ends the routine

Re2. When you have missed two or more consecutive days, what is your most common response?

  • 3 — I pick up the next day without any particular thought or decision
  • 2 — I notice and consciously restart, but the barrier is low
  • 1 — I feel I need to 'start fresh'; the gap creates a psychological barrier
  • 0 — I tend to abandon the routine and tell myself I will start again later

Re3. How dependent is your supplement routine on specific home conditions — your counter, your kitchen, your morning structure?

  • 3 — not dependent; the system works in any environment
  • 2 — mildly dependent; it requires some adjustment when the environment changes
  • 1 — fairly dependent; the routine degrades significantly outside my normal environment
  • 0 — completely dependent; any change to my environment effectively ends the routine

Resilience subtotal: ___ / 9

Part three · calculating your score

Flag any condition with a subtotal of 4 or below. A condition at 4/9 or lower is a structural gap — not a minor weakness. That condition is where your routine is most likely to fail.

Part four · interpreting results

What the total score tells you

The total score describes the overall structural quality of the routine. It answers one question: how much of this routine's consistency is produced by design, and how much is produced by memory and will?

A high total score does not mean the person is disciplined. It means their environment is doing the work. A low total score does not mean the person lacks commitment. It means their environment is not set up to support them.

What the individual condition scores tell you

The five condition subtotals are more diagnostic than the total. They identify where the routine is structurally failing — and they point to specific fixes.

What a low score means

A total score below 22 means the routine is operating without structural support. It is being held together by memory, motivation, and favourable conditions. All three are unreliable.

The routine is running a high cognitive load on the person every day it operates. The Resilience Gap is wide — any disruption, from travel to a difficult week, tends to break it. A low score is not a reflection of the person. It is a reflection of the system they have available.

What a high score means

A total score above 36 means the routine is structurally supported. It does not depend on a good morning, a motivated day, or remembering at exactly the right moment.

The cognitive load on this routine is low. The cue is reliable. The system is clear. The preparation is done in advance. And when disruption occurs, the gap between interruption and restart is short.

A high-scoring routine is more likely to accumulate the consistency that allows supplements to produce their intended benefit. Consistency is the gateway.

Where to start

Address conditions in order of severity — lowest subtotal first.

The consistency score is a diagnostic, not a verdict. It names where the design is failing so the design can be fixed. For a structured walk-through of each condition, use the Consistency Audit.

Related frameworks

Further reading