Staying Consistent
Do you have a goal you’ve wanted to achieve for years now but still haven’t? The unfortunate truth is that the thing you want most is either going to be difficult, boring, or both. This requires you to never stop showing up, even when you don’t see the fruit of your efforts and especially when you face tough obstacles in life.
Most of us know what to do - Go to the gym more, eat healthier, monitor portion control, etcetera, but how do we stay consistent in going to the gym when a friend wants to go to happy hour with you after work? How do we stay consistent when your coworker brings in that tempting box of donuts for everyone to eat? Here are key steps to take to create a life of consistency that actually leads to results.
1. Know your “Why”
Ask yourself, “Why do I want to accomplish ___?” If that “why” isn’t strong enough, you won’t succeed because your “why” drives your goal. Since our willpower is destined to diminish over time, having a strong enough “why” will help you power through those moments when you feel like quitting.
Example: A goal to lose weight
A wrong “why” = I want to look better
A better “why” = I want to be strong enough to care for my children and be able to play with them as I get older
2. Plan to Fail
We all know perfectionism is impossible, so why do we continue to have an all or nothing mindset when it comes to our goals? This mindset will hold you back from progressing towards your goal.
Have you ever heard the phrase, “If you miss a day, don’t miss two”? Missing one day is an exception, but missing two or three days becomes a pattern. The truth is, you’re going to miss a workout or you’re going to eat more than you should at times. When you realize that missing a day is part of the process, you will get right back at it the next day and not dwell on the past.
3. Fall in Love with the Process
We are tempted to focus on our goals, but what happens if the outcome of the goal is far in the future (ex: Losing 20 pounds in 6 months)? It will be hard to wait and continue working hard when it feels like it’s taking forever to accomplish and you don’t see any major progress.
If you fall in love with the process, you can succeed everyday because you achieved doing the thing you told yourself you were going to do that day. As consistency compounds, the results will show.
4. Gather an Accountability Partner
An essential part of planning to fail is having supportive family and friends around you to remind you of your “why.”
“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.” Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
These steps seem easy in concept, but there will be moments when you have to choose what you want most over what you want now. This is the moment when you need to remember your “why” and ask yourself what is worth more to you.
As Tom Brady said, “To be successful at anything, the truth is you don’t have to be special. You just have to be what most people aren’t. Consistent, determined, and willing to work for it.”
-Coach Macy
Sources:
Groeschel, C. (2024). Think Ahead. Zondervan.