Consistency, the big C word is probably what most people fear the most! It is fricking hard, but guess what, it’s not entirely impossible. I am not the most consistent person in the world, truth be told, I think I am only now settling into a routine and getting my entire life together. So how did I do it? I gave myself a pep talk, I had a vision for my life and in order to execute that vision, I had to do a few things differently in order to achieve some level of consistency. Everyone’s path to consistency will be different, but I do think that we can all learn from each other.
Here are a few major keys I incorporated into my life which have helped me tremendously.
- Set Goals – Ask yourself what is it that you want to achieve. In order to sustain a level of consistency, you have to know exactly what you are working toward, what’s your end goal. I’m a big fan of writing out my goals these days because it gives me direction. I know what I want to achieve and therefore I create a roadmap based on that goal, I’m not working haphazardly. Sit down, think about what it is you want to create then focus your efforts toward achieving that one thing.
- Planning In Advance – The one single that has helped to transform the way I work is thinking and planning ahead. If you seek to activate a level of consistency you have to plan or else you will wake up every day without a clue of what you are supposed to be doing. I have never been a planner, I’m just a free spirit that loves to wake up, open my computer and do whatever flows. But guess what, that never propelled me to the level I wanted to be at. I got tired of just waking up and having to waste time trying to come up with a plan. Your plan of action doesn’t even have to be long, or detailed, you just have to know what you intend to do. Create monthly and daily schedules to keep you on track. One day I sat down and created a schedule of all of my blogs and ideas for the remainder of the year! Can you say tedious? But, guess what, this one simple action enables me to ensure I don’t miss any blog deadlines. It keeps me on a path to consistency. It keeps me working. Try it, trust me!
- Have Accountability Partners – Being consistent isn’t easy, so gather up your cheering squad and enlist a few accountability partners. These are the people that will ensure that you are keeping on schedule with your goals, and people who will check you when you are not living up to your potential and falling behind. Accountability partners can be close friends, industry friends or even family members. I have the best accountability partner, my boyfriend makes me answer the uncomfortable, uneasy, hard questions and pushes me out of my comfort zone. On the other hand, I have a friend who is in the same business as me and we bounce ideas back and forth and hype each other up!
- Work Through It – Being consistent isn’t easy, being consistent when you are not seeing results is even worse. What’s important is to know that Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither is the act of consistency. It takes time. No matter how tired, bored, uncomfortable, unmotivated, or sidetracked you become, that’s the moment you have to push through. Once you begin to take “breaks”, that’s when your attempts to be consistent cracks. Remember, if you get tired, learn to rest not to quit.
What are some things that you guys incorporate to stay consistent? Drop me a comment, I’d love to hear from you.
