Variety may be the spice of life, but monotony provides the groceries.
Seize the day and follow your passion!?? Let’s be real, shall we!!? The gritty truth behind most success stories isn’t a sudden bolt of lightning but rather the slow, steady burn of consistency. It’s showing up each day and doing the work even when you don’t feel like it. Sexy? No. Effective? Absolutely.
The boring road to success
Any “overnight success” is likely years of diligent, consistent effort. Imagine the aspiring writer dutifully churning out a thousand words each morning before heading to her day job. She’s no J.K. Rowling (yet), but she’s doing the unsexy work that could someday lead to a bestseller.
As painter Brian Rutenberg puts it, “You hear a lot in art school about how painters must continue to ‘grow’ and ‘evolve’ – but I think those are such bullshit words. There is power in repetition, in doing the same thing over and over and over and over again.” In other words, don’t let anyone sell you on the myth of effortless genius!
The compounding interest of habits
If inspiration and talent aren’t the keys to success, what is? Answer: Habits! Just like regular investments will grow over time, small good habits can compound into remarkable results.
With habits, you don’t debate with yourself about doing it; you just do it. Imagine having to convince yourself to brush your teeth every night. You’d be stuck in an endless loop of internal debate rather than doing the necessary thing—brushing your teeth!
By automating your positive behaviours, habits free up mental energy for the stuff that really matters. Instead of wasting willpower on the daily choice to go to the gym, you can focus on optimizing your workout. Rather than struggling to sit down and write, you can direct your energy toward crafting killer sentences.
Overcoming the resistance
We need to acknowledge the evil villain of every success story: resistance. Whether you call it, fear, writer’s block, or procrastination, resistance is the force that makes you want to hit the snooze button instead of jumping out of bed and be off (like a herd of turtles)!
The only way to defeat this foe is to keep showing up even – perhaps especially – on the days you don’t feel like it. As Kevin Kelly wisely notes, “What you do on your bad days matters more than what you do on your good days.” Don’t give yourself the option to cop out when things get tough.
Consistency, therefore, is an act of courageous resistance against our own worst impulses. Sure, it may not sound as dazzling as a magic formula, but it’s the surest way to turn pro in any field.
Falling in love with boredom
The biggest secret is that the most successful among us learn to find joy and meaning in the repetitive, unglamorous parts of the journey. To take a tip from James Clear, “The only way to become excellent is to be endlessly fascinated by doing the same thing over and over. You have to fall in love with boredom.”
Imagine two identical twin brothers who open rival coffee shops in the same town. The first brother loves the daily ritual of getting up early, opening the shop, brewing the perfect cup, and greeting regular customers. The second brother only cares about the flashy stuff, like designing a trendy logo and fantasizing about expansion. Who do you think will still be cheerfully serving lattes five years later?
Let the journey be your reward
You may think that repetition sounds like drudgery, but consider the alternative – a life spent always chasing the next high, the next milestone, the next spike of excitement. That rollercoaster may be a thrilling ride, but it’s ultimately an empty one.
True meaning and fulfilment come not from crossing the finish line but from immersing yourself fully in the process. Each day of consistent effort is its own victory. The real prize is not a distant end goal but the person you become through the daily work of showing up as your best self.
So here’s to the disciplined striver, the nose-to-the-grindstone worker, and the relentless practitioner. In a culture obsessed with overnight transformation, the most rebellious act may be your quiet consistency.
How to become more consistent
Consistency is the daily commitment to show up and do the work, even when motivation wanes and obstacles arise. Consider these powerful exercises and practices if you want to cultivate a more consistent approach to your pursuits.
1. Start with small habits
The key to long-term consistency is to start small. Trying to overhaul your entire life overnight is a recipe for burnout and frustration. Instead, focus on building tiny habits that feel almost effortless. As James Clear advises, “Make your habits as easy as possible to start. Anyone can meditate for one minute, read one page, or put one item of clothing away.”
Example
If you want to establish a consistent writing practice, begin with a goal of writing just 100 words per day. Once that becomes second nature, gradually increase the target. The same principle applies to any habit, from exercise to learning a new skill.
2. Stick to the “Never miss twice” rule
Perfectionism can be the enemy of consistency. If we expect ourselves to execute our habits flawlessly every single day, we’re setting ourselves up for disappointment and self-blame. A more compassionate and sustainable approach is to adopt the never miss twice rule.
The idea is simple: if you miss a day of your habit, make sure you get back on track the following day. Don’t let one slip-up derail your entire progress. Missing one workout, one meditation session, or one day of writing doesn’t make you a failure – it makes you human. What matters most is how you bounce back.
3. Reframe your perspective on time
One of the biggest barriers to consistency is the perception that we don’t have enough time. However, as Kevin Kelly points out, “Keep showing up. 99% of success is just showing up. In fact, most success is just persistence.” When we reframe our relationship with time, we often find that we have more of it than we think.
Exercise
Take an honest look at how you spend your days. How much time do you spend scrolling social media, watching TV, or engaging in low-value activities? Could some of those minutes be redirected towards your goals? Even carving out 15-30 minutes a day for focused work on your priorities can lead to remarkable progress over time.
4. Design your environment for success
Our surroundings significantly influence our behaviours and choices. If you want to be more consistent, creating an environment that supports your goals is essential. This might involve decluttering your workspace, setting out your gym clothes the night before, or keeping healthy snacks readily available (and unhealthy snacks out).
Take a cue from James Clear, who notes that “successful people spend less time making decisions about the fundamentals and more time focusing on making progress.” By designing your environment to make your desired habits as easy and automatic as possible, you conserve willpower for the truly challenging aspects of your work.
5. Celebrate your efforts, not just your outcomes
True consistency is built by focusing on the process rather than the outcome. As James Clear reminds us, “When you fall in love with the process rather than the product, you don’t have to wait to give yourself permission to be happy. You can be satisfied anytime your system is running.”
Make a habit of celebrating your daily efforts, not just your big achievements. Did you show up and put in the work today? That’s a win, regardless of the tangible output. By shifting your attention to the process, you cultivate a sense of intrinsic motivation and enjoyment that fuels long-term consistency.
6. Make time for reflection
Consistency is not just about blindly repeating the same actions day after day. It’s also about periodically reflecting on what’s working and not and how to improve your habits and processes. Set aside time each week or month to review your progress, celebrate your successes and identify areas for growth.
Exercise
Ask yourself these three questions at least once a month:
By engaging in regular reflection, you cultivate self-awareness and adaptability – key ingredients for long-term consistency.
By starting small, anchoring new habits to existing routines, accepting imperfection, reframing your relationship with time, celebrating your efforts, designing your environment, and reflecting regularly, you cultivate the power of consistency in your life. Success is the result of small actions taken today, tomorrow and the next, so keep showing up, keep striving and keep going.
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