Consistantly Constant

This is another article to add to the series on I've been writing on mastery. The last posting I wrote was on how practice alone, is not enough. This article follows on from that one.

A brief reminder for you. Although I use the term "mastery" , it can easily be replaced with the words success, goal getting, achievement, champion, leadership or management etc....

Read the article from your perspective and use the word that best suits your interpretation of the word "mastery"



Add to Your Practice

So you're working your way towards being exceptional at what you do. Whether it's a new sporting activity, fitness regime or business venture, it doesn't really matter. You, wanting to achieve and practicing alone, isn't enough. A key factor in your long term success, is you're ability to be consistent over time.

Consistency is a critical component if you're wanting to master a specific endeavor. To put it plainly - you must apply yourself regularly to your pursuit and do it without deviation over a long period of time. In doing so you will have a key element in mastering it.

What I have seen from watching many people, is they start out with a hiss and a roar! Throwing themselves and all they have at it, to be good at what they are passionate about (at least at the start) and over time, they fizzle out completely. They have lots of energy in the early stages. (I call this the honeymoon stage of learning). Blinded by their initial enthusiasm, not realising the need for them to apply themselves in such a way, that they can see it through over the long term. The early signs of fizzling out that I've seen over the years, are a loss of drive to regularly attend to class, training or the standards they set for themselves.

As a former Fitness Centre owner this was a regular observation of mine. People start out training with all the best intentions in the world to achieve their goals of weight loss or weight gain etc... The common theme for many of these fitness enthusiasts is they begin to fade from their original attendance of 3-4 visits a week, to an infrequent level of 1-2 times every 2 weeks or so. Slowly but surely, they regress to not attending at all.

Consistency Applied

Consistency is a quality necessary to master parenting, leadership, business or long term transformational change etc... Parents who are inconsistent with what they say and do in the raising of their children will teach their children that stick ability is not important and consistency is an unimportant quality for personal long term success in their education or maximising their chances of future employment.

Leaders who are not consistent with what they say and do will be teaching those they lead that they do not mean what they say and that they will change their standards whenever it suits them and deviate from what they say they stand for, when and if, their mood so chooses.

A business allowed to operate without consistency of practice, will lose customers and their place in a competitive global market, because they can not be relied on, to honor their company service statement, vision or mission.

Those of you who seek a positive change in your life will not experience it until you embrace the change you want - constantly. Think of those who wish to change a habit like smoking, drinking or eating less, to name but a few. Your success in achieving a transformational change will be the direct result of your consistent embrace of the change you wish to make, over a long period of time. After all, the best indicator that change has occurred, is not found in your words but in your actions.

Masters and champions have mastered the ability to apply themselves to their pursuit diligently. They are not easily swayed nor are they willing to excuse themselves from attending to their study, training, practice etc... because they know the importance of being consistent.

When the Going Gets Tough

Are there times when they may wish to take a day off, go back to being the way they once were, to not attend class at school or turn up at their weekly training? Yes, they do experience this.

How do they respond though?

By remembering what it is they are in pursuit of. They recall their highest intention. They renew their commitment. They regain their focus. And apply themselves to the long term journey of mastery.

One specific group of people who know the importance of consistancy are athletes. They know that to be a champion in their chosen sport they must constantly turn up for training and practice and consistantly out perform their competitors. Being inconsistant is not an option to an athloete who wishes to dominate thir sport.

Are you willing to recognise it yet, if not already? The need for you to be consistent and it's vital place in mastery? Are you willing to commit yourself to the persistent commitment of applying yourself to mastering what it is that you are wanting to achieve. Whether it is your need to save money for a home mortgage, lose weight to be a slimmer and trimmer you or grow a successful business. You must be consistent.

Consider this message seriously. Be consistent and enjoy the natural outflow that constancy brings to your success. The choice as always is yours. Decide the level you are willing to be consistent and that will set the ceiling, to the degree of mastery you achieve.