Unlock Success: 7 Simple Consistency Strategies

To date, I have interviewed over 60 high achieving individuals on my podcast, Life’s Hard Succeed Anyway. In every episode, I have asked each person what a key to their success has been.

The most common answer? Consistency!

Some have said it in different words…discipline, focus, resilience, etc, but even those answers, when flushed out, revolve around their ability to be consistent regardless of the emotions, personal feelings, or adversity they face along the way.

I couldn’t agree more! Consistency is the key ingredient for success in any endeavor, whether it's personal development, professional growth, or skill acquisition.

It's the discipline of doing something regularly that breeds significant, long-term results. Sadly however, there are many starters and far fewer finishers. Maintaining consistency is certainly easier said than done, so I've included some strategies and tips to harness the power of consistency to help you get from where you are now in any area of life to where you want to be. 

1. Understand the Power of Small, Regular Efforts: Consistency is not about making grand, sweeping changes overnight. It's about small, regular efforts that accumulate over time. Just like a river shapes a landscape not by its power, but by its persistence, consistent actions. Our actions, no matter how small, can lead to significant transformations. Think about this. If we can just get .33% of one percent (that’s 0.0033) better each day, that is 100% improvement each year!
2. Set Smaller More Attainable Short-Term Goals: Overambitious goals can be overwhelming and unsustainable. I love setting BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goals), and highly encourage it, but we must also break them down into smaller, more attainable and achievable short-term goals that we can consistently work towards and accomplish regularly. This helps us build a habit, fuel enthusiasm, and avoid burnout.
3. Establish a Routine: Routines are the backbone of consistency. By setting specific times for your activities, we train our mind and body to expect and adapt to a regular pattern. This can be as simple as dedicating a few minutes each day towards a particular task.
4. Track Your Progress: Keeping a record of our progress helps in maintaining motivation and provides a tangible measure of our consistency. Whether it’s a journal, an app, or a simple checklist, tracking helps in recognizing our efforts and identifying areas for improvement. I track my daily bible and prayer time in a handwritten journal, my daily exercise in a note on my phone, my daily body weight on another note on my phone, my income producing activity on a weekly tracker sheet I’ve printed out, and so on. We can’t measure or manage what we don’t measure. Track the things that matter to you.
5. Embrace Flexibility: Being consistent doesn't mean being inflexible. Life is unpredictable, and there will be times when you can’t stick to your routine. The key is to have a routine, however, so that when we need to adapt and flex from it, we have a routine to get us back on track as soon as possible. Adapt as needed without being too hard on yourself, then get back on track as soon as possible.
6. Find Accountability Partners: Sharing our goals with someone and having them help you hold yourself accountable can significantly boost your consistency. Whether it’s a friend, family member,  coach, mastermind, or team, having an accountability partner(s) can provide the necessary push to stay on track.
7. Celebrate Small Wins: Recognize and celebrate your small achievements. This reinforces positive behavior and keeps you motivated to continue your consistent efforts.

The power of consistency lies in its ability to transform small, repeated actions into substantial, long-term results. This is the compound effect in action!

By setting realistic goals, establishing routines, tracking progress, being flexible, seeking accountability, and celebrating small wins, we can effectively harness this power to achieve our desired goals and enjoy the adventurous life we were all created for. 

Let’s go!