Posted by “You’ve got to get up every morning with determination if you’re going to go to bed with satisfaction.” – George Lorimer
There’s nothing like positive momentum to get you motivated in the morning. The confidence to achieve a set of realistic objectives day in and day out is the byproduct of self-discipline. Self-discipline harnesses the power of consistency which builds and maintains the forward progress that accomplishes great things.
Being consistent in purpose and practice every day makes you successful. Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines consistent as: always acting or behaving in the same way.: of the same quality; especially: good each time.
a: marked by harmony, regularity, or steady continuity: free from variation or contradiction
b: marked by agreement
c: showing steady conformity to character, profession, belief, or custom
There is no doubt about it; if you want to accomplish anything of lasting value, you must develop consistency. Doing the same thing for a long time has a compound effect that is astounding.
I have a few friends who have run the New York City Marathon. The marathon is a 26.2 mile run through all five boroughs of New York City. Each friend had a different training method yet they all had something in common, consistency.
They trained for several months every single day. Over time they developed strength and stamina, something neither had before training. Consistent behavior toward a purpose enabled each friend to run and finish the race.
“You will never change your life until you change something you do daily.” – John C. Maxwell
Whether you’re building a business, writing a book, working toward a degree, or improving your general health and well-being, consistency will get you there.
Consistency allows you to accomplish your dreams and objectives one step at a time.
Almost everything I do requires writing; I’m either making speeches, presentations, facilitating group discussions, teaching, posting for two blog sites or furthering my education. I’ve easily written more than 100,000 words in the past year alone.
How did I accomplish 100,000 words and still have time for my other responsibilities? Consistency! If I write as little as 275 words (approximately one-half page) a day every day, I will have 100,375 words by year’s end.
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit” – Will Durant
Good leaders develop habits for personal growth and practice those habits daily. They know who they are and what they want, and why they want it. Great achievements begin with asking “why.” When you know your “why” you will be more likely to succeed in reaching your objectives.
Contemplating your why connects you to your purpose. When you connect to your purpose, you find your passion. Your passion fuels your vision and your dreams. Self-discipline comes easy when you’re passionate about what you’re doing. It requires discipline to be consistent.
Three Foundational Facts about Consistency
Consistency produces statistics
Your effectiveness or lack of it is determined by what you do consistently. You may be busy with many things over the course of a day but are you effective where you need to be? Being focused and intentional enables you to harness the power of consistency for effectiveness.
Consistency develops accountability.
Establishing consistent work habits in planning and keeping commitments, schedules, holding productive meetings, meeting deadlines makes you accountable to yourself and others. When others can count on you to deliver consistently, you become influential and more valuable.
Consistency establishes your reputation.
Since accountability gives you a track record, you’ll slowly develop the habit of success. The more dependable you become, the more respect you gain with others. When John Maxwell was asked the secret of his effectiveness in writing and communicating to leaders, he answered: “I’ve done this more than 12,000 times.” Yes, consistency established his reputation as a great leader, and it will establish yours as well.