Consistency leads to so many good things
Consistency doesn’t mean—nor should it be equated with—perfection. Consistency is aligned with improvement. Don’t turn it into perfection; focus on trying to improve. There’s no need to beat yourself up over a missed day or action—get back on the horse.
As Joel Runyan puts it: _Never miss two days in a row._ He’s not advocating perfection—just don’t become inconsistent. Similarly, Ryan Holiday, in his _Daily Stoic_ newsletter, encourages us to pursue improvement, not perfection.
Admiral William H. McRaven equates consistency with self-discipline and broader change: _“Small acts of discipline practiced each day develop self-discipline. It’s your self-discipline that will enable you to change the world.”_
Like Admiral McRaven, Grant Cardone believes consistent, disciplined action is the most significant determining factor for success. The ability to work at something consistently will lead you toward a successful outcome more reliably than any other path. That “successful outcome” might simply be discovering that what you’re doing isn’t delivering the desired results—but at least you’ll _know_.
Consistency is evident in successful leaders. As Ron Chernow points out, George Washington embodied this: _“Once Washington had set his sights on independence, his vision was unblinking, and his consistency proved one of his most compelling qualities.”_ His decision, coupled with focus, drove him to a successful end. His team knew precisely what was expected and measured everything against one standard: independence.
Successful leaders are also consistent in how they handle praise and criticism. Consistent leadership gives your team the comfort of knowing what you expect and how you’ll communicate areas for improvement. It makes you less likely to “fly off the handle”—unless you do _that_ consistently.
It’s rarely a single action that drives success, but rather the repeated act—the consistency—that provides the data and feedback you need. I’ve written about _tiny experiments_: the key to a successful tiny experiment is doing _X_ for a set period. The success lies in the information you gather, not necessarily in whether the experiment “worked.”
I’ll leave you with a quote from legendary NFL coach Bill Walsh: _“Even in the worst circumstances, do not unravel mentally or emotionally. Continue to fight and execute well. Even if the cause appears to be lost, act like professionals.”_
You control consistency—it’s all on you.
Youtube is a Positive
YouTube is a positive influence. YouTube has motivated me to act. YouTube helped move me from should to action. As a result, I am once again backpacking.
I started getting backpacking videos in my feed and started watching them. As the algorithms work, the more you watch, the more they are served up in your feed. What was remarkable is that I got so motivated that I got off my ass and did something about it. I started hiking with my wife to get in shape. I talked with my older son about going on a trip. We started planning an epic trip to the Grand Tetons. I got my old gear out from the early 2000s to see what I have. Got my old MSR Whisper lite stove up and running. Yes, she still burns strong.
I acted. I was able to take the sedentary action of consuming online content and move to action. I now use YouTube for product reviews and information on location hiking.
It has transformed me from sitting on my ass to move. Yes, YouTube is a good thing. Countless channels provide content on people’s passions. It helps you get that little bit of dopamine, and you feel good to move you to action.
YouTube also helps exercise your judgment skills (good from the bad). You need to discern for yourself is something a good behavior vs. bad. Remember, YouTube only publishes the content. YOU make the decision to consume it, let it affect you, and ultimately act on it. We all make decisions, and where you are now is solely based on actions and decisions you made.
YouTube is a positive influence for me – but you make the decision.
Is YouTube a positive for you?
Yes! The 20th is here!
So, there is new optimism as the calendar changes to 20. Yes, we can be optimistic things will be better. Like the change from 2020 to 2021, things didn’t get magically better; that is also true, going from 19 to 20.
We Need to Take Positive Action!
Action is what we need to make things better. We all need to take action to make it better. Just wanting it or assuming it will be better isn’t going to do it. We need to focus on change and action.
Action is what makes the change.
Change is what makes things better.
We need to decide to make things better.
That concerted effort and deliberate action are what will make the change.
Both sides are demanding change and see a better future. However, let’s collectively decide to change. Take positive, meaningful action for everyone! Don’t be divisive act inclusive.