People often ask me what THE most important thing is that I have learned over the last twenty years of working with people in life and business. Usually, I will decide on an answer depending on what I think is important for the person. But recently, something has struck me as being continuously important and, indeed, vital to success. So much so that I felt compelled to write about it.
Of course, being motivated to do something is important. Having the right strategy is critical. Being able to adapt is key. Having good self-awareness and the ability to change is also essential. We could not discuss success without explaining the need for determination and the ability to keep striving for success regardless of how many mistakes have been made.
With all that in mind, for me, the most important distinction between people who get results and those who don’t is one fundamental concept: CONSISTENCY. Almost everyone has worked out or exercised in their life. Those who are fit are the ones who do it consistently. Most people who play golf have the ability to succeed in achieving one sub par hole. It is those who can do that consistently who can play professionally on the circuit. Actors that have one good role soon fade from popularity. Those who turn up and perform at the highest level consistently are those who become well known and in demand.
Being consistent is partly about relentless discipline which I mentioned in another post (https://blog.owenfitzpatrick.com/secret-champions-relentless-discipline/). But it is also about a strategic approach to what you do. Being consistent means making preparations and planning for what you want to do. It means prioritising the mastering of a skill or the hard work you are prepared to put in.
Success is about figuring out what to do and doing it well. Becoming a success is about doing this on a regular basis. You need to have the discipline to do what you need to do even when you don’t feel like it… but you also need to create space in your life for it too… and make sure that you keep it as the ‘must’ that it is.
Lastly, consistency is about continuously finding ways of keeping things interesting. In order to practice something time and time again, the way you think about what you are practicing will have an impact on how often you do it.
So, in summary, build your own self-discipline to do the things you know you need to do. Create space and put them in your schedule so that you do them on a regular basis. Lastly, find ways of keeping everything interesting and appealing and being creative in how you work. The more you do this… consistently… the closer you will be towards achieving whatever you are trying to achieve.
Image: Thanks to http://picography.co/
