If I say I'm going to do something, I do it. If I say I'm going to be somewhere, I'm there. If I initiate a new business process or initiative, I follow through.if I say am sleeping at the gym I sleep at the gym. In my experience, consistency is a must as you build and grow in any aspect of life.
Consistency may be defined as developing discipline in a chosen field, in light of a favourable outcome. Those who uphold discipline are rewarded with success, since they have harnessed enduring focus through concerted effort.
Let’s be clear while on the subject. Success in this context is not limited to certain areas of life. If losing weight and eating healthy is your primary goal, taking appropriate action steps on a frequent and consistent basis may be considered a success.
Far too many people discount the power of consistent effort towards their goals. Consistency creates powerful neural networks in the brain known as grooving. These grooved neural networks help form strong connections within the brain’s synaptic connections, thus enhancing your concentration on a task or goal.
Many organizations and individuals are unable to weather the storm when the situation goes awry because they never started with why. One of the first questions to answer before embarking on any activity is the why question. It is not a question to answer when the ship is already sailing, it is a question to answer before the ship goes off shore. Without a convincing why, the temptation to go back will always be high, especially during tough times.
HOW TO DEVELOP CONSISTENCY.
Don’t just love what you do, do what you love
People are often counseled to love what they do. While the counsel is not out of place, it is always better to do what is loved. That is what fuels passion. Passion is a matter of the heart. So is love. Love that is natural lasts the distance, not so for that which is forced. It requires more effort to love what is done out of necessity than what is loved naturally. When an organization is forced to love something, sticking to it when it is not convenient becomes herculean. But people are willing to defend what they love from their hearts irrespective of the circumstances and the situation.
Focus on the end, not the process
The temptation to abandon a cause is always high when the focus is on what is happening at the moment rather than what lies ahead on the accomplishment of the task. The road to accomplishing any outstanding feat is not paved with gold; the road is usually very rough and dispiriting but the motivation to trudge on comes from knowing that the reward of success outstrips the pains of the momentary hurdle.
Imbibe discipline
John Maxwell says no one can avoid either of two pains; the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. While both are painful, one is milder than the other. The pain of discipline produces tangible and pleasant fruits. But the outcome of pains of regret is distasteful. Those who are inconsistent are priming themselves for the pain of regret because later they would wish they had been consistent when they see the result of others’ consistency.
POSITIVE VIBES OF CONSISTENCY.
Consistency maintains your message.
Your team pays as much or more attention to what you do as to what you say. Consistency in your leadership serves as a model for how they will behave. If you treat a meeting as unimportant, don't be surprised when you find they are doing the same to fellow teammates or even customers.
When something doesn't work, I look back at what happened and ask some serious questions. Did we shift gears too quickly? Did part of the team not deliver on a commitment? Or was the expected outcome off base from the start? Most of the time, the reason tracks back to lack of consistency
Consistency makes you relevant.
Your employees and your customers need a predictable flow of information from you. All too often I see businesses, both small and large, adopt a campaign or initiative only to end it before it gains traction. It's effective to run many advertisements, numerous blog entries, weekly newsletters, or continual process changes throughout a year.
Consistency establishes your reputation.
Business growth requires a track record of success. You can't establish a track record if you are constantly shifting gears or trying new tactics. Many efforts fail before they get to the finish line, but not because the tactic was flawed or goals weren't clear. The problem is often that the team simply didn't stay the course to achieve the objective.
Consistency allows for measurement.
Until you have tried something new for a period of time and in a consistent manner, you can't decide if it works or not. How do you measure effectiveness if what you are measuring isn't performed consistently?
Consistency creates accountability.
I ask my employees to be accountable for their deliverables and goals. They should expect the same in return from my leadership. I put a priority on making time for and being available to my team. I work to establish consistent and recurring meetings when a project or aspect of the business requires attention.
The simple fact that there is a set time to report on progress is often the catalyst that moves an initiative along to a successful end.