Why Consistency Is King
After Cal Ripken Jr. showed up to work for the 2,131st consecutive day — now over 21 years ago — everyone seemed to pause, put down what they were doing and applaud what the man had just accomplished. He had broken Hall of Famer Lou Gehrig’s decades-old consecutive-games played record, and in doing so, struck a chord with millions of people.
On the surface, all Ripken really did was keep showing up to work over and over again for 16 years. The truth is, his value and impact during that time were far greater than just coming to work. He taught us all a valuable lesson: we’ll increase our likelihood of success and happiness by executing each day and performing the tasks in front of us.
Ripken became the exemplar for consistency in approach, not to mention determination, resolve, persistence and success at playing baseball every day.
“Perform at your best when your best is required. Your best is required each day.” — Coach John Wooden
This year has marked the beginning of what I confidently can say will be a lifelong pursuit of living out my dreams. I’ve juggled the responsibility of a full-time job, a family, then losing that job, starting to write for multiple media companies, working toward the future publication of my first two books and the advent of my executive coaching business.
I don’t write these things for any other effect than to demonstrate that above everything else, I am most proud of my determination and consistency. It took me a long time to become this resolute in mindset, and this consistent in meeting the goals of my plan for each day, week, month and soon-to-be year. I feel this pride because it’s what I’ve always (secretly) admired in others.
“Know that showing up is half the battle.” — Anonymous
Accomplishments, accolades, recognized successes and awards stand out to me. But what I really admire most are individuals in any professional or personal endeavor that show up each day with confidence, optimism and an industrious work ethic — who perform their jobs and do so with efficiency.
I marvel at single mothers who care for their children and work several jobs to put the proverbial “bread on the table.” I’m inspired by business professionals who work high-pressured, busy jobs that donate sizable chunks of time to charitable endeavors and helping out others without expecting anything in return.
It’s one thing to write a stellar book, ace a few exams or win the sale on a big contract. It’s quite another to do so repeatedly, not just in output, but with consistency in approach to every day.
Creating Your Consistent Approach
I’ve written previously about an abundance mindset, one where we design our mental approach around positivity, hope and living with a Being belief that we already have the objects of our desire. Structuring our approach this way helps us to create an attitude of expectancy, grounded in perseverance, faith and an insatiable hunger to always want to show up and succeed.
I acknowledge that this is not easy to cultivate when we’re doing something or performing the tasks of a job that we don’t love. Which is why I’m an enormous proponent of finding enthusiasm and fire for something in your life and making sure to dedicate at least part of your day to immersing yourself in that.
Are you doing this now?
This is about consistency and planning — we perform our best work and become who we’re destined to be by spending time doing what we love. This may not come in the form of a job, it may actually come from spending time with your child, parents or friends. It may come from coaching youth baseball, volunteering at the local library or going mountain biking.
It may come from jamming out some monster guitar solos in your room when no one’s looking.
“It’s not what we do once in a while that shapes our lives. It’s what we do consistently.” — Tony Robbins
We all need outlets to allow our creative sides to come out. It’s wise to build time into our schedules to allow our enthusiasm and excitement to inject themselves into our activities. Adding these qualities to our lives is instrumental, as they then permeate our minds and flow over into the more mundane or, less inspired tasks we have each day.
The Impetus to Change
Nearly seven years ago, I sat down at my kitchen table, feeling like my dreams were slipping away from me. It wasn’t so much one single moment, as much as the realization that I had to act in order to find larger meaning and happiness in what I was doing.
I was in my mid-20s, working as a management consultant for a top firm and I had spent the last seven years floating around in the corporate world. I didn’t know what I wanted to do.
Does that sound like you?
It was the first time in my life that the good kind of fear started to settle in my mind — You really may be on a bland, meandering path to nowhere. A sort of worldly purgatory where the greatest loves and interests in my life would only ever be dreams and never be realized. For me, it might as well have been hell.
Looking back on it, I guess I thought the meaning of my life would just sort of come to me like a wondrous epiphany— BOOM! “Now I get it, I’m meant to _________.” Uh, not so much.
As you’ve probably realized, it doesn’t work that way. Even when outstanding opportunities present themselves, they often do because our minds are favorable and prepared to accept them. I had to ask myself some tough questions. What do I want to do? What do I love? What are the most important things in my life?
One of the activities that came out of this soul-searching was the desire to coach boys varsity high school basketball. I played in high school and college, and basketball is one of my biggest passions. While I wasn’t prepared to drop everything and become a teacher/coach full-time, I knew I had to be a part of the action. I needed more enthusiasm and motivation in my life, which in turn would increase consistency in how I approached each day.
It paid off big-time. I started to see the value of doing more of what I loved, showing up each day with higher energy, verve and enthusiasm. That translated into a consistent approach at my job. I became a better planner. I kept wanting more of what would propel me into a future — still uncertain — of doing what I loved while delivering results daily.
Commitment and Action
You have to love what you do to want to do it everyday. — Aaliyah
Showing up is not all that matters, clearly. If it were, then nothing would ever get done! Success and personal accomplishment is comprised of things other than just showing up. But it’s imperative that we never diminish the importance of showing up. You have to realize, showing up all the time will gradually set you apart. Because not everyone does. Some people quit.
Some of us begin our journeys at work, start writing a book, heck, even pledge our commitment in marriage to loving our partner “til death do us part.” Do we always follow through on these things? We’re probably lacking in some areas of our lives if the answer to that question is “No.”
If you’re wondering what makes great people great, a major component is consistency. Writing a few extra words, showing up on-time to work to make the early-morning meeting or simply giving your wife or husband a kiss as they walk out the door for work. Those things are a big deal when they’re done well all the time.
People say it’s the “little things” that matter in life. Those little things are often the actualization of simple consistency — doing what you say you’re going to do. We don’t all need to get 3,000 hits or win a MVP award to feel fulfilled or recognized by our peers. Sometimes, we simply need to keep showing up over and over again, developing a powerful pattern of consistency on the path to achievement.
Do it anyway, keep performing and rising to your feet each day regardless of whether your boss, peers or subordinates recognize it. Set a model for others to observe and develop their own consistent habits. Consistency is about developing persistence and confidence in all that you do, without concern of what others think.
Consistency is a mindset and a series of demonstrated actions that will transform the way you live.
What do you think?
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