The Most Important Factor: Consistency
In the digital age of keywords and SEO, the plethora of buzzwords to define success is growing. Transformation, intensity, power, explosion; all examples of trendy ways to express the force behind success. However, there’s one word that rises above all of these: CONSISTENCY.
Consistency doesn’t necessarily have an amazing track record of being jaw-droppingly-amazing. You probably start thinking about your neighbor, Bob, who:
Consistently goes to his desk job from 8 to 5
Comes home to watch the same TV shows every night
Ventures only as far as the grocery store to eat as many free samples as possible
I agree, there’s nothing sexy about that. But, what about your friend Vivienne, who has:
Been on a health-kick for about a year
Lost 50 lbs.
Doubled her income by selling fabric you can wrap around your head to make you fabulous?
Now that is transformation and motivation. Heck, it’s intense AND explosive too!
So you look at Bob today, and you might think he’s a person who isn’t very driven and is content with mediocrity. Vivienne, on the other hand, is an overnight success and in just one year, appears to have really ‘made it.’
However, what you don’t know about Bob, is that he’s worked hard at his job for 15 years, received raises and promotions that have doubled his income, grown his retirement fund, maintained good health due to managed stress levels and lunch-hour exercises, and he has a very happy family. And what you don’t know about Vivienne, is that in one year she’s gained back half of the weight she lost, carelessly blew her income on dust-collecting items, lost many friends from falsely advertising her products, and is back into her old routines.
Okay, what was the point of me telling you these stories?
The point is, we need to look for long-term success, because anyone can look shiny for a day or make a big impact for a short while, but success can only compound when it remains for an extended time.
Don’t get me wrong, because I’m a full supporter of short-term victories as well, in fact, they’re critical to the way I put action plans together. But, those quick-wins all contribute to the big picture, creating consistency for your journey through life.
Throughout all of the small victories, you need to be aiming at your ‘why.’ Finding your ‘why’ is the most significant piece of goal-setting. Every day, you maintain the pace of your progress toward your reason for doing it all. It’s important not to let the daily, routine tasks fall through the cracks, or the long-term goal will fail.
The reason I write this post today, is because back in 1992, when I weighed 95 lbs., I decided I wanted to become a bodybuilder. I was far from strong but my mind was set, so I asked a friend what it would take to do it, and he gave me the sage advice: “consistency.” Little did I know that years later, not only would that guidance pay off in the world of bodybuilding, but also in many other aspects of my life. Look around at the successful individuals in your life, and I bet you’ll find a common thread: CONSISTENCY.
