The Spark without Fuel

Relying on motivation to get through your day can be a roller coaster ride, with many highs and lows. We’re typically pumped when we start our quest and have all these plans in mind with goals to achieve like nothing or no one can stand in the way. But a lot of times things don’t go exactly as planned, and you find yourself facing distractions of all sorts. then you start to lose drive and postpone things for tomorrow or just give up.

The problem is that our minds are primed to prevent us from doing anything uncomfortable. Thus, doing something new or sticking to practice is not going to be easy. Our egos, the fear-based part of our brains, can be quite challenging. It perceives any change as a threat, it longs for comfort over something new. So if the unknown is considered uncomfortable it has to convince you to stay in place, even though you know you can do better.

About Consistency

Being consistent means dedicating yourself to your goals, staying focused on the things you need to do to achieve those goals as well as sacrificing some of the things you like doing. It’s a price you have to pay in advance for achieving your dreams.

If you want to build a new habit the requirement is a consistent long-term commitment that involves sustained repetitive effort until your actions become a comfortable second nature, and to achieve this you need determination, discipline, and accountability.

This is what ultimately separates successful people from unsuccessful people their consistency in taking action- even when they don’t feel motivated. Consistency is a force that will help you stay on track and that can spell the difference between failure and success.

The Benefits of Being a Consistent Person

1. More Action More Chances for Success. Putting in the effort consistently on a daily basis increases your chances of achieving your goals.
2. Productivity Boost. Being consistent develops the habit of productivity. The more productive the person is the more boxes get checked on the checklist.
3. Practice Makes Perfect. Regular exercise or practice of an activity or skill is the way to become proficient. The more mistakes the faster it gets corrected.
4. The Formation of New Habits. When you are doing something consistently it naturally becomes a new habit.
5. Consistency Builds Motivation. When consistency becomes a habit, it helps motivate you to proceed with your plans even when you don’t feel like it.
6. The Challenge. Consistency fuels the desire to do more, be more and achieve more.
7. Consistency Creates Momentum. Momentum can be defined as “mass in motion. When you are making a motion in the right direction, success is inevitable.
8. Consistency Communicates Your Value. It shows people that you are serious. You build trust and credibility and reliability. When we’re consistent in our actions, people know they can count on us to do what we say we will do.
9. Consistency Builds Reputation. When you are consistently visible, you will be noticed. Consistency improves your brand and makes you relevant.
10. You’ll Be Happier: People who are consistent in their actions are generally happier than those who are not. This is because they’re achieving their goals and not constantly starting and stopping new things.

How To Be More Consistent

1. Make Sure They’re Your Dreams. Often our dreams are influenced and shaped by social perspectives. It’s difficult to achieve something you are not truly passionate about. Be authentic and believe in your capabilities.
2. Set Realistic Goals. If the goal is not realistic, then you’re setting yourself up for failure. We’re more likely to give up when the goal seems to be unreachable.
3. Find an Accountability Partner: Having someone to hold us accountable can be a great way to stay on track.
4. Break Down Your Goals. Focus on small goals because they are easier to achieve. Trying to do too much will be too overwhelming and is often the reason why people give up.
5. Structure a scheduled routine. When you know you need to do something, it’s easier to follow through.
6. Make it a Habit. One of the best ways to be more consistent is to turn your goal into a habit. Once something becomes a habit, you don’t even have to think about it- it’s just something you naturally do.
7. Find a Role Model. It’s helpful to have an inspiration, someone we can look up to who is consistent in their actions. This can help us stay motivated.
8. Set a Deadline. Deadlines are important. When we have a deadline to meet, we’re more likely to be consistent in our actions.
9. Schedule Time for Things You Love. Make sure you take time out to do the things you love and enjoy. This keeps your creativity alive, elevates your mood, and enhances your productivity.
10. Reward your Behavior. Set a reward for every milestone achieved, doing so will boost your determination. Getting a reward also reminds you of a job well done and that you deserve it.
11. Plan for Setbacks. Not everything will go as planned, so make sure you have a backup plan, just in case.
12. Procrastination. The greatest enemy of consistency is procrastination, Figure out the “why’s to your goals”, and understand what’s demotivating you. Work around your excuses- affirmations can help.  
13. Money Is Not The Only Motivator. Monetary incentives cannot compensate for all aspects of how much an individual wants to live their life. You will tend to procrastinate if you aren’t interested in doing a certain task. Be true to yourself and set goals beyond money for motivation.
14. Surround Yourself With Positive People. When you surround yourself with positive influences, it becomes that much easier to stay focused on your end goals. 

Prepare Mentally

When we start something new, we start with goal-setting and making planned steps; however, It’s essential to prepare yourself mentally. Think long-term, and understand that sometimes changes and progress move like snails, they slowly creep in and are sometimes unnoticed which is often discouraging.

A great practice is an idea of doing things 1% a day. Accomplish something every day, learn from it, and improve the next day. Percentages accumulate, and eventually, you will see yourself meeting the bigger goals that you have set in the first place. No pressure!

Conclusion

The power of consistency is integral to achieving success in whatever we wish to do in life. Starting something new and being consistent over a long period can be really challenging. We can only hope to be consistent by making our goal a habit that can take anywhere from 18 to 254 days of doing something repeatedly or a changed behavior which takes on average 66 days for it to become automatic.

Read More: 12 HABITS POSITIVE SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE PRACTICE DAILY TO LIVE A HAPPY LIFE