The Myth and Miracle of Consistency

“Bright shiny object” syndrome has been the bane of my life. I didn’t have a name for it until I was training professionals at Cisco in the early 2000’s, but the main idea is that your attention is always on the bright shiny object until you lose interest and move on to the next bright shiny object. Rinse and repeat.

Consistency is Showing Up Even When Things Lose Their Shine

Bright objects, notifications or other things that grab our attention are all around us.

Consistency is when we stick with something even when other things try to steal our attention.

Starting an exercise plan or a new work habit or launching a new product can all be bright shiny objects. We’re excited about the promise and newness of it. Energy is high.

Until reality sets in. This isn’t going to be easy or always fun. It might take work. I will have to keep showing up.

Consistency is showing up for worthwhile things even when they lose their shiny newness.

What is the Myth of Consistency?

Soon after 2022 began, I committed to writing daily for 30 days.

And I did. Every day through January. Until January 30. I missed that day. But I was back on track the next day.

I also learned an important lesson. Consistency is not perfection. You don’t have to get it right every time. If you stumble, get up and get back in the game.

The Compounding Effect of Consistency

Have you discovered for yourself the miracle of compounding? Very small, unimpressive amounts when added up over time eventually multiply and produce staggering effects.

Maybe you’ve heard that $100 invested at 1% daily interest will produce $3700 in one year. If you haven’t…it’s true. Don’t touch your $100 bucks for a year and let it compound daily and you increase it 37 times!

The only catch is that the impressive figures only come at the end of the time. In the first month, you’ve only improved by 1/3 or 30%, and 90% of people will quit in the first month. Stick with something six months and you’ll improve 5X — not too bad.

If you consistently improve one area of your life just 1% a day, the math is clear. You’ll be 37X better at it in a year’s time.

What if you skipped every weekend but still consistently improved every weekday for a year? You’ll be 12X better.

So get with it. What one thing are you going to work on improving for 6 months or a year? Consistency isn’t perfection, but it’s powerful if you’ll stick with it long enough to see some real gains.