The first five consecutive executions of a new trigger…

Protect the first five consecutive executions of any new time-based trigger as non-negotiable, treating early repetitions as infrastructure investment that determines whether the trigger becomes automatic or dies silently.

When This Fires

When installing any new time-based trigger (alarm, calendar event, scheduled routine)
When tempted to skip an early execution of a new time-based agent because "just this once"
When coaching someone through the initial installation of a scheduled behavior
After resetting a time-based trigger that had died — treat it as a new installation

Common Failure Mode

Treating the first execution and the tenth execution as equivalent: "I'll skip today and make it up tomorrow." They're not equivalent. The first five are infrastructure construction; the tenth is routine operation. Skipping during construction damages the foundation in a way that skipping during operation doesn't.

The Protocol

(1) When installing a new time-based trigger, mark the first five days on your calendar as "protected installation period." (2) During these five days, the trigger-behavior sequence is the highest-priority non-emergency commitment. Reschedule other commitments around it, not vice versa. (3) Execute the full trigger-behavior sequence at the designated time, even if abbreviated (Start every new agent at under two minutes with zero… — minimal viable version). Showing up at the right time matters more than the action's duration. (4) After five consecutive executions, the association is established enough to survive occasional misses. Shift to normal agent management (Review new agents weekly, established ones monthly…). (5) If you break the chain before five → restart the count. Don't continue counting from where you left off.