Summary:
What is consistency? How does consistency contribute to success?
“It’s not what we do once in a while that shapes our lives. It’s what we do consistently” ― Anthony Robbins
Consistency is the key to success in any field. Life is an ocean and consistency is the boat in it. Hard work is the energy we spend to keep rowing forward. The ocean sure has its share of storms but armed with consistency, we survive and pass through it.
Everyone on the planet has faced the demon of inconsistency. Many times in life, we will think of starting something and finding success, but as many times, we also soon let go of it. As children, we might have decided to take good marks in the exam, but we seldom decide to be consistent in studying.
Similarly, as adults, we may aim to get that increment but can easily lose traction due to consistent distractions. Consistency is the key or path to success but one may find it hard to follow it. Consistency is not something we can start or stop on a whim.
One is either consistent or not. So, to reap the fruit, you’ll have to be consistent in your actions and thoughts. It is not easy to tread along the narrow path of consistency. It passes right beside the precipice of distraction. So, one must be careful of one’s steps.
As humans, we’d love to get results almost as soon as we started. Hence we have a tendency to run as fast as we can. But reaching success is a marathon. Therein lies the rub. Consistency may or may not give success quickly but in the long run, its benefits are aplenty. It is a habit or practice and that takes time. That does not mean you give up your pursuit. You just need to remain consistent with being consistent.
For example, Dashrath Manjhi, a laborer from Gaya in Bihar single-handedly managed to carve a 110 m long (360 ft), 9.1 m (30 ft) wide, and 7.7 m (25 ft) deep path through a mountain. He was only armed with a hammer and a chisel. He successfully achieved the feat working consistently for 22 arduous years. His efforts shortened the travel distance between Atri and Wazirganj from 55 km to 15 km. He was inspired to cut through the mountain after his wife succumbed to an injury falling from the mountain.
His consistency literally tore through the mountain and there are some who can’t even try to wake up at 7 am. It takes time and effort, but consistency improves anything it is applied to. Consistency is a habit. It is the practice of regularly investing one’s efforts to achieve incremental progress. It looks tempting and easy to apply, but once started, it may seem overwhelmingly difficult. However, all the sustenance it needs is one’s patience.
One simply does not get up in the morning and go “I’ll learn and master the guitar in a day.” It’s impossible. It takes time and effort, to begin with. There are many such examples in everyday life where an ability or skill is developed only based on consistent efforts. It never gets done overnight.
The 3 Principles of Consistency
So, like music which is based on rules, consistency also has foundation pillars it stands tall on. By knowing and following these pillars, you can develop consistency in your life and capture success in time. The three principles are value, patience, and belief.
1. Value
Consistency in your efforts and actions will deliver the same value in your tasks. Ipso facto, it’ll only improve your efficiency over a period of time. If you consistently work out for 15 mins, in a month’s time you’ll be working out for an hour.
2. Patience
Success is a close friend of patience and focus. No matter how much work or effort you put in, if you’re consistent with it, sooner or later, it’ll bear fruit. But you’ve got to be consistent with patience and focus.
3. Belief
We need to be consistent with the aim in our thoughts. This is where we’ll find motivation. Consistent thought of reaching one’s goal. Consistent thoughts give you the motivation to act consistently and deliver the desired results.
