Consistency 2.0: What's Wrong With Being Consistent?

I'm not sure what the hell is going on, but it seems like consistency isn't enough, and we need to do more.

When I talk about consistency, I'm not referring to repeating the same thing over and over. You may keep your efforts constant by doing something new every day.

In any given scenario, you have many options when it comes to being consistent: you may do whatever you want! It doesn't matter if it's a blog post, an Instagram feed, or a Facebook status update. You could even be consistent by cooking pancakes every Sunday morning or getting a new song on your phone every day.

I'm talking about the mindset of consistency that many people have:?doing the same thing day in and day out, no matter what happens.

Definition of "Consistent"

Let's take a look at this definition from Google:

"The quality or state of being consistent; accord or harmony."

Surprisingly, many individuals believe that consistency is a necessary component of harmony.

I've even heard people say things like, "If you want to see results, you must do the same thing every day."

What?

Would you tell your friends that they need to be consistent if they said they wanted to get in the best condition of their lives and achieve a particular look? Or would you advise them that it's necessary to have flexibility with their objectives and prepare for different days, as not every day of training, dieting, and supplementation will be the same?

Would you tell them to practice the same song on their instruments every day if they wanted to get better at playing music? Would it make sense if a musician were told that they would need to play their instrument in the exact same way every single time for optimum effectiveness?

I highly doubt it.

So What Is Good About Being Consistent?

Many individuals know these facts, yet many others find it challenging to apply adaptability to other parts of their lives. People often claim things like "Be consistent if you want results" to justify avoiding trying anything new in their personal development plans.

They think that the only accurate response is consistency and nothing else, as if they're afraid to try something new. It seems that they're too scared to try anything new.

One of the reasons why so many individuals are concerned about consistency is that they observe others who are successful and mistakenly believe that it's required for them.

Is Stephen King a terrible author because he doesn't produce two thousand words every day but instead produces when and what he wants?

Would you consider someone like Arnold Schwarzenegger unsuccessful in his goals simply because he didn't produce another Terminator movie every year?

Is Bill Gates a failure because, for years, he released only one version of Windows, or did fifty-two weeks of "Windows Weekly" videos on their website even though the product has not altered since the early 1990s?

Would you place limits on your own expectations for success or give up before attempting if you felt it was essential to be consistent in what you do?

While I want people to have the same consistency when aiming for a particular outcome, I don't want them to be so afraid of it that they would limit themselves.

In my opinion, the best way to go about being consistent is by having a plan and knowing how you'll adapt when things change.

Setting objectives allows us to determine whether something feels right in our hearts, allowing us to choose the best path for experimenting with new ideas. There's no need to fear to backtrack when attempting things because we know that if we're not satisfied with our goals, we may always modify them.

Actually, There Are Several Types of Consistency

It's critical to understand that there are several types of consistency, some of which aren't any good for us. This is an excellent illustration of the fact that there are different sorts of consistency.

One of the reasons why so many individuals are afraid of consistency is that they link it with being trapped into a preconceived notion without any room for modification. This isn't what I'm talking about at all.

The value of some degree of consistency in our daily lives cannot be overstated. For example, if an athlete were to practice their sport every day but do something different each day, they would have no opportunity to improve on what they've achieved before.

You may set objectives to help you better understand how your efforts to reach them are affecting you. It's normal for us to avoid suffering, so if achieving the goal you've set does not make you happy, it might be time to change or replace it with something new.

It's beneficial to have some degree of consistency in our actions, but only when they're practical and helpful for us. There is no value in being consistent with your daily activities if they aren't assisting you in achieving your goals.

My intention was to discuss something else entirely when I first started working on this article. After producing it, I discovered that its use might help it reach a larger audience, so the term was not planned for inclusion in the title.

I think it's crucial to be consistent. Still, I don't want you to be limited by your own definition of what consistency implies. I believe we're better off finding out what works best for us than following the crowd or meeting everyone's expectations of us.

When people let their past experiences with consistency, particularly unpleasant ones, dictate how they should act in the future, they frequently limit themselves.

It's also critical to comprehend that there are a variety of various sorts of consistency. Suppose someone doesn't keep watching movies because they were disappointed by one, for example. In that case, they will be missing out on the chance to enjoy many fantastic films.

Consistency 2.0

There's no point in maintaining consistency if it's based on a baseless dread of doing something new. It's not constructive to be consistent with your routine activities unless they're beneficial for you.

Changing our objectives might be difficult, but it is always advantageous because we will not remain trapped at a level that does not bring us pleasure or fulfillment. We may cease wasting time on activities that aren't working for us and select a new path that makes us feel better about ourselves.

I believe there is great value in some degree of consistency, as long as it isn't founded on restricting yourself from trying new things. The only way we'll ever progress is by attempting new things and reacting to the outcomes.

I was attempting to cover a different subject when I started writing this article. Still, it turned out that its use might be more widespread if I called attention to consistency in life.

You'll limit yourself needlessly if you let your past experiences with consistency dictate how you should act in the future. The only way we can grow is through trial and error, based on the outcomes of our gambles.

There's no point in sticking to your day-to-day routines if they aren't helping you get where you want to be. It might be time to modify or replace what isn't working for you with something different.

It's critical that we not let our preconceived notions about consistency restrict us from trying out new things. Without any room for modification, we risk becoming stagnant and never discovering who we indeed are.

Instead of doing everything that everyone expects you to do, it's more beneficial to try new things and determine what works best for you. If we keep learning from our mistakes and reacting accordingly, we will constantly improve.

Suppose the things you do aren't working. In that case, there's no one else they're benefiting from—the only way we can improve is by taking chances and pursuing answers that will help us develop as human beings.

Example 1: Being a Consistent Instagram Influencer

Let's say I'm an Instagram influencer. I have a lot of posts on Instagram. And if being consistent meant doing what works every time, there wouldn't be much variety in my postings.

Every day is new - from quotations to photos of things that inspire me, as well as motivational messages.

Some days are more constant than others, depending on what I feel like doing at the moment.

My point is that?CONSISTENCY DOESN'T ALWAYS EQUAL HARMONY.

In reality, it has a propensity to cause stasis and inactivity. Instead of focusing on consistency, consider advancement. Is every day forward progress made towards your desired destination? If not, then why call yourself "consistent"?

I'm not suggesting that you give up being consistent in your efforts and start working on something new all of the time simply for the sake of change (although it's always an option).

But I recommend you reconsider how practical your present approach is relative to where you want to be and make any necessary adjustments.

After all, isn't it true that "being consistent" is ineffective if you're not getting any closer to your goal?

Steve Jobs has resigned as CEO of Apple, according to the company's website. He will undoubtedly be a terrible loss for the firm he helped create and grow into one of history's most prominent businesses. However, it is only correct to acknowledge that Apple would have most likely stagnated if it had remained.

I'm not suggesting that you have a new blog post or Instagram updated every day to get the best results. That just leads to inefficiency and inconsistency in outcomes.

As a result, allowing yourself to be flexible with your objectives can aid in your ability to stay strong when forceful action is required. For example, maybe someone wants to write a book. Still, they cling stubbornly to their initial writing strategy every day, no matter how ineffective they believe themselves to be.

If this happens frequently, there's no reason for them to get up early or stay late working on their project since they'll do anything else instead.

The problem with consistency is that it encourages people to stay in their own lanes. However, you can't continue doing the same thing and expect different results indefinitely.

If you want to go farther, sooner or later, you'll have to leave your comfort zone and be innovative to achieve your goals in ways that are appropriate for YOU right now.

After all, no matter how long it has been since you decided to use them, there are specific ways to help you get ahead. However, others only provide short-term benefits.

The key is to recognize which ones fall into each category so you may optimize your efforts when necessary - because not every day will be the same. You won't want to depend on methods that only work for a short time.

Example 2 - Being Flexible Can Be Consistent Too

Let's assume that someone has a fantastic new business idea, but they don't know how to implement it. This leaves them frustrated since they are unable to get accurate results due to their situation. If this individual had been more flexible and utilized numerous strategies when necessary instead of simply one, they would have made faster progress or received some type of action in the direction of their objective.

Consistency has its place in life, but it doesn't have to be there all the time. So, whether you're trying to get into better shape ever before, boost your personal or professional connections, or simply attempting to complete a long-term goal that isn't working as well as you'd like it to, don't be afraid to break out of your comfort zone and explore different choices if the ones you're presently using aren't performing well enough.

In other words,?

DON'T BE CONSTANT WITH YOUR APPROACH - BE CONSISTENT WITH YOUR GOALS.

Because at the end of the day, how can you claim to be "consistent" when your goals have changed?

Conclusion

If this article has made things clearer (or even MORE confusing), please leave me some comments below! And, if anything about consistency is still unclear, please reach out to me and ask me about it. I'd be delighted to assist you.

Until next time, have a lovely day!

***********

Jack HM Wong

Entrepreneur | Workshop Facilitator | Business Advisor

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