Last week I sent a write-up on Discipline and Consistency. This week, let’s take one more look at consistency—my word for 2022. Below is another article on why we should focus on developing this skill.
Here is my question: How can I continue to become more consistent?
Below are some of the ways I have done it, but I want to know the tricks and strategies you have adopted to be more consistent. This is a group brainstorm. If I get some great responses, I will write another LIFEies on this topic and share them because it is so important and powerful. So please, send me ways you are consistent. Most of these are the same as when you are creating a new habit.
–Start small. Consistency can be just doing one push-up a day. Or not hitting the snooze button. Putting your work out clothes out the night before. Drinking a glass of water when you get up. Small things add up.
–Plan for it. Put anything you want to do in your calendar every single day.
–Add it to something you already do. I have built great routines in the morning (right after I get up) and at night as I wind down to go to bed. Now, when I have a new habit I want to develop, I add to those routines because I am already so consistent. There is one notable exception, however: When I travel. I need some tips on making my routines work when I am on the road.
–Track and measure backward. We should only measure against ourselves. Track what you want to be consistent in and then compare only to yourself. Stay out of the Gap and get into the Gain.
Consistency is a superpower! Take advantage of it.
The Fantastic Life Rule # 7
Stay Out of the Gap
If there are habits you want to cultivate, or things you want to be more consistent in, why are you waiting around in the Gap? Make the leap from where you are now to where you want to be and just start. Today!
This One Skill Should Be Your Priority For 2022, No Matter Your Goals
“It’s what you do in private that you’ll be rewarded for in public.”
By Jari Roomer | Published on November 28, 2021
Photo by Alora Griffiths on Unsplash
No matter your goals for the future, I believe everyone should focus on developing this one specific skill:
Being consistent.
Without consistency, all of your talents and creative ideas will be pretty much useless. Incredibly talented people fail when they’re not consistent, while lesser talented people succeed simply because they are consistent.
“Little things done repeatedly lead to big changes in our lives.” — Srinivas Rao
Consistency is the differentiating factor between success and failure. It’s the foundation of peak performance.
Consistency Is A Superpower
I consider consistency to be my superpower.
Truth is, I’m not the fastest learner. I’m not the most creative person. I’m usually late to discover trends. And I’m not the most motivated person.
But I’m incredibly consistent.
I can stick with problems, challenges, and habits much longer than most others — and that’s my superpower.
Where others might be faster (in creating, spotting trends, learning), I’m more persistent. Where others give up, I feel like we’re only getting started.
Consistency Is The Key To Extraordinary Results
If you want to succeed at anything — business, fitness, investing — focus on being consistent. Learn consistently. Create consistently. Do consistently. It’s the key to extraordinary results.
For example:
· Tim Denning has consistently published multiple articles per week on Medium for years
· Seth Godin has written a blog post every single day for over 10 years
· Drake has released nearly 200 songs, much more than most other hip-hop artists
· Thomas Edison has made more than 1,000 inventions of which most completely failed
For all these people, consistency has been a major factor in their success.
As author James N. Watkins said, “A river cuts through rock, not because of its power, but because of its persistence.”
With your habits, it’s what you do consistently that leaves a lasting impact on your health, mindset, finances, and productivity — not what you do every now and then.
In sports, it’s the athletes who consistently give it all during training who perform the best on game day — not the ones who only train hard when they feel like it.
On Medium, it’s the writers who consistently publish that eventually succeed — not the ones who write every now and then.
And in building wealth, it’s those who consistently spend less than they earn who get ahead financially — not those who save everyone now and then.
You get the point. Be consistent.
Do The Work When No One Is Watching
Self-improvement author Jim Rohn said, “What you’ll do in private is what you’ll be rewarded for in public.”
You see, most people only work hard when other people are watching them — whether their manager, colleagues, or friends. They’re only their best-performing self when they can get some sort of praise or recognition for their effort.
Only when the manager is in the office do they work hard.
Only when their friends are in the gym do they lift heavy.
Only when the camera is pointed at them do they show their best self.
But, most of the time, there’s no one watching our performance. Therefore, it’s what you do when no one’s watching that makes the difference between an extraordinary life and a mediocre life.
What if you start to act in private just like you act in public?
How much more productive would you be? How much more intense would your workouts be? How much better would you perform?
As Srinivas Rao said, “If you want to change your life, start by changing your behavior, and make the new behavior something you follow through on consistently.”
All in all, be consistent with your efforts — even when no one’s watching. It’s the key to peak performance.