When people talk about persistent action, they always use "daily" as the unit. But I've found this isn't the smallest unit.
When you shout "I have to run 5 kilometers today," you're facing a vague big task. But when you think about "what's the next step," it must be specific: what's the first thing you need to do right now? Put on your running shoes. That's it.
The essence of action isn't a competition of willpower—it's the ability to cut a big task small enough. Small enough to be impossible to fail at, small enough that you don't need willpower to start.
The secret to persistent action: don't think about persistence, think about doing just a tiny bit. Small enough to be impossible to fail, then let the sense of completion drive the next step.