Consistency matters

Use Consistency and Discipline to achieve your goals.

Consistency is the key...Walt Disney once said that “all our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them.” The most important word in that sentence is “pursue”. Whether you’ve set a financial target, professional target, or want to create a habit of physical well being, you’ve got to consistently pursue those goals because motivation will only get you so far.

One of my favorite author Mel Robbins says, “Motivation is garbage because at some point we bought into this myth that we have to feel ready to change… this falsehood that at some point you’re going to have the courage and the confidence.”

The trouble is, “In order to change and do all those things you know you want to do, you’re going to have to do things that are difficult, uncertain, or scary,” she continues.

There is no giant step you need to take at the peak of your motivation. Achieving your goals is a series of quiet little steps taking over a period of time.

Creating consistent habits!

Motivation is a temporary feeling, you better fall back on something which is much more sturdy and reliable: discipline.

You may have heard of the quote “Motivation gets you going, discipline is what keeps you growing.” In simple words, discipline means following through on your intentions, priorities and goals, even when the motivation isn’t there. It’s consistency that’s key.

This might seem like a lot, however by making discipline a daily habit, you won’t need motivation to achieve your goals, because you’ll be making steady progress without it.

Create small daily habits.

Have you heard about the one per cent rule? In Atomic Habits, author James Clear says to build lasting habits you just need to improve by just one per cent every day. Trouble is, when fueled by motivation, we often try to overhaul our entire lives in one fell swoop, rather than attempting to do things gradually. This approach can lead to overwhelm and eventually cause us to give up.

So, here’s what you need to do instead: take the pressure off by considering how you can be just one per cent better every day. Maybe instead of committing to 7 days workout, you decide you’ll start by upping your daily step count by 1,000 steps, and commit to increasing it every day.

Once you’ve mastered that you might decide that you’ll start getting your heart rate up by breaking into a run or completing a short workout. Over time, if you keep making gradual improvements like these you’ll get to where you want to be, whether that place is the gym, your dream job, or a loving relationship.

See, the more you stick with these small habits, the more they’ll become a part of your identity, and, in turn, the more consistent you’ll become. James Clear calls it the “compound interest” of self-improvement. You're building your success little by little, step by step, instead of attempting to do it all at once.

#smallthingsmatter #smallhabits #change #wellbeing