I really like this. At some point fairly early in my life, teenage years I think, I decided that it is a fact that anything I commit to myself that I'll do, I will indeed do. I don't recall exactly when or how it happened, but I do know it's something consciously decided was the case.

As far as I could tell at the time, it had been true for any "serious" commitments thus far, and it's kind of a comforting feeling that if something is in your control, and you decide to do it, it will happen. Having made that affirmation, it because somewhat self-reinforcing, because even when something got hard, I didn't want to break the streak, and thereby... I guess, no longer be able to rely on myself in the same way. I think it's meant both that I'm somewhat careful about what I truly commit to myself to do, but also that I always have extra motivation when I do. (And of course, some degree of after-the-fact rationalization helps too; I'm sure I've consciously let myself off the hook on occasion when the situation changes.)

Anyway, that's a lot of rambling to basically say I think I've been practicing shoshikantetsu most of my life without knowing the term.