Consistency. Consistency.Consistency. It’s all about consistency. How many times have you heard that preached? Be consistent and get results. Simple enough right? Except no one told you HOW to be consistent. HOW to stay on track…
It’s absolutely true that consistency may be your number one key to success. Doing the RIGHT THINGS over and over is going to pay off for you. I love that when Michael Phelps (22 time Olympic medalist) was asked what set him a part from everyone else, his reply was simply, “I guess I just stayed in the pool longer”. No doubt he did. But what made Michael get in the pool when things were crazy at home? When someone hurt his feelings? When someone brought donuts to the office? When he didn’t really FEEL like getting in the pool? When his kids were sick and the car broke down? If you think it’s because he was born with this unbelievable natural gift of consistency you would be mistaken.
Consistency is a skill set. It must be learned. You aren’t born with this skill set. You must be groomed in it and taught how to hone it, just like any other skill set.
Unfortunately, the culture in which we live places little value on consistency. It’s rare to find people that will follow through and stay true to their word. It’s rare that our YES means YES and our NO means NO. We have come to expect people to flake out, to cancel, to bail. Never before has a culture been more entitled than the one in which we live. We want things done now! Oh how frustrated we get if that doesn’t happen. I love technology, but sometimes I feel like we think we are entitled to instant results because of it. My friend, seeking instant gratification is a dangerous place to be.
Odds are it took you awhile to get to where you are now and it may take you awhile to get to where your going. Just keep going. Stay in the pool.
So what can you do to become more consistent SO THAT you can get the results you’re after?
1. Clearly establish your purpose and reason for staying on track in the first place.
Why are you doing what you’re doing? Get very specific with what this looks like in your life and with your schedule. You’re going to have to spend some time soul searching here and put pen to paper. This needs to get to you in the core of your being. What and who is this for?
How bad do you really want it? Do you believe in yourself enough to go after it? Many times, lack of belief is the culprit. Believe in yourself. Know your “specific why” and fight for it.
2. Set a calendar and set appointments. No matter what! Adopt a “TCB-NMW” mentality That’s TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS NO MATTER WHAT.
If it’s eating clean and exercising, plan out your meals and your workouts a week in advance and write them all down in a day planner. Pack your cooler and a gym bag so that you are always prepared. Do everything you can to take away all excuses. These are appointments that you can not break. Treat them as top priority instead of something done only when convenient. Success is never convenient or everyone would have it.
3. Identify your “triggers”.
Life is going to happen. Things are going to go wrong and you have a choice as to how you respond to them. Choose to respond in strength and discipline based on YOUR PURPOSE , instead of reacting with a victim mentality. What is your “thing” that gets you off track? Is it opinions of others? Stress? Lack of support? Exhaustion? Frustration? Fear?
Now here’s the key with triggers. Don’t let your THING control you and turn into a snowball effect. What I mean is, don’t let one bad decision lead to another bad decision and on and on and on. If you get off track or stray from the path. Get right back on! Don’t beat yourself up, just get back on and go! You can do this!
*If you feel like you are struggling with consistency and need a little “extra accountability” check out the online training group. It’s designed to keep you on track, keep you focused, and train you along your journey. Click here to get started. I can’t wait to meet you!
Speaking The Truth In Love,
Lindsey
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