Let’s talk about the least sexy part about reaching any goal you have.
Consistency.
- Doing the task over and over again, every day, for a loooong time.
This is what it takes to reach your goals. How long are you willing to do the same thing, no matter how boring, how monotonous, or how simple, to achieve what you are aiming to do?
Here’s the thing; we all say we want to do it. We all say that we can do it!
We start feeling extremely motivated and excited, only to fizzle out a short time later. Sound familiar?
The typical pattern goes as follows:
- Intense motivation and excitement to start.
- Intense activity.
- Injury, fatigue, or burn-out.
- Stop task altogether.
This pattern occurs with diets, exercise, saving money, and many other aspects of our lives. The enthusiasm to start becomes our worst enemy.
An alternative pattern to follow that works?
Consistency over intensity.
It’s better to start with a routine that keeps things easy, practical, and enjoyable. It will be easier to stick with the task if it’s simple and you have fun doing it!
You will still make progress with this method. The process may be slow and gradual, but progress is progress no matter what.
Embracing the monotony and sticking to daily habits consistently for however long it takes, will get you where you want to be.
This approach works because the worst that can happen is that you stop. Picking the most complex strategy or the simplest will have the same result if you stop, plain and simple.
Instead of choosing the most intense diet, exercise routine, or financial strategy, it’s best to consider the routine that YOU can stick with. No matter how tiny or simple it may seem, ask yourself what you can commit to with absolute certainty.
You must remember short-term intensity does not equal long-term results. Injuring yourself, burning out, or stopping does little good for the progress you had made up to that point.
Choose long-term success. Consistency is the vehicle that will help you reach those goals and the success you want to have.
