In the first two weeks of our series on consistency, we covered the benefits of failure and the how the consistency plays on the principle of compound interest, both working for and against our personal development.
By now, we should be ready to utilize the power of consistency in our daily lives to help us achieve our goals. Before you commit, I would be remised if I didn't discuss three truths of a consistent lifestyle most people are not prepared for.
Truth #1: Consistency is boring.
Last year I set a goal to lose 10 pounds. I was already exercising so I knew my diet would have to be my focus. I started eating five smaller meals a day, eating the exact same thing for each meal. After three weeks I realized why most people quit their diets: it was SO boring. Two eggs and 40 grams of turkey breast. A protein shake. One cup of broccoli and half a chicken breast... Every. Single. Day. I stuck to it and lost my ten pounds. Consistency is not sexy. It is not exhilarating. It is repetitive and mundane, but it yields results.
If variety is the spice of life, then consistency is the key to success.
Truth #2: Consistency is lonely.
People don't like to be bored. Consistency is boring so you won't find many friends living a consistent lifestyle. Being consistent means embracing being on an island. You'll feel isolated, left out, and most often be viewed as an outcast. You'll have to skip nights out with friends to stick to your sleep schedule. You'll have to order a salad and a water at Buffalo Wild Wings while your friends indulge in the Boneless & Traditional combo. You'll have nothing to contribute when your friends are discussing the bachelor because you spent your nights reading. You'll consistently find yourself doing what other people simply aren't willing to do.
If you want to live like no one lives, you have to do what no one does.
Truth #3: Consistency never ends.
This may seem obvious to some, but this truth is the reason that 80% of new years resolutions fail within the first two weeks of the year. This is the reason most people have ambitions that never even get written down. Those ten pounds I lost over the course of a six-month religious diet? I gained them back over the next six months and am now five pounds heavier than when I started. Our goals cannot be viewed as finite, with a definite end point. To truly experience the power of consistency, we have to play the infinite game. Simon Sinek coined this term and wrote about it in his recent book, but it essentially means that we must view our path to success not in terms of winners and losers, but in terms of ahead and behind.
This means the game never ends. And neither does our need for consistency.
Action
Rewrite a goal you have to fit the rules of the infinite game.
Question
What is something you want now that you will also want when you're 85 years old?
Quote
“Infinite-minded leaders understand that “best” is not a permanent state. Instead, they strive to be “better.” “Better” suggests a journey of constant improvement and makes us feel like we are being invited to contribute our talents and energies to make progress in that journey.” - Simon Sinek, The Infinite Game
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