Continued from : https://churchtimesnigeria.net/priciiples-power-consistency/
Anticipate the Dip
Most of us go into new endeavours believing that the path to our desired outcome is straightforward and clear. The amazing thing is that we believe this even when we know better from past experiences. In his book The Dip, Seth Godin says that anything worth pursuing will have a messy middle.
What makes the Dip even more challenging is that it typically hits after a period of initial success. This serves as a natural barrier to separate the quitters from those who go on to experience extraordinary success. Quitting is not a bad thing in itself. In fact, the whole purpose of the book is to help the reader know what to quit so they can focus their efforts on the things worth pursuing.
Uninspired? Do it anyway
When you’re trudging through the Dip, just do it. Uninspired? Hit the gym anyway. Uninspired? Kiss your spouse anyway. Uninspired? Write that report anyway. Work on that activity now!
Do this long enough and inspiration will come rushing in behind you and knock you off your feet.
Go back to basics
In any pursuit, most of us are eager to rush through the basics to get to the more exciting, advanced stuff. But when we don’t spend enough time mastering the fundamentals, we can easily become discouraged by advanced tactics and strategies.
These things are undoubtedly important, but they can often distract us from the basic skills that must be mastered in order to gain traction and experience success.
Find an accountability partner
I have a friend who loves my daily posts and expects to see them land in his inbox every morning. If I don’t produce, I’ll need to explain to him why I didn’t show up that particular day. He was the first person apart from my wife to know when I was sick. In a way, I am accountable to him and every other regular reader who expect me to deliver a post every day.
You don’t need to broadcast your intentions to the whole world to be accountable. Select one or two trusted friends to share your goal. Give them your timeline and ask them to hold you accountable. This can be a real game-changer if you are ready!
Forgive yourself and move on
This one is so important because we often beat ourselves up when we fail to follow through on our plan. Some resist setting goals and making plans to avoid this unpleasant experience altogether. But instead of avoiding this reality, understand that it’s simply part of the game.
It made no sense to punish yourself for missing the first day, the activity, or the task or by missing even more tasks. Just forgive yourself, start doing it at that moment, and moving on allows you to recover from setbacks faster than before if you don’t give up!
Find Joy in the Process
Are you ready to start making traction in your endeavors? Be ready to love and follow the process. It is when you follow the process you’ve set that you can be consistent. So, be present, expect hardships, and do the work. Utilize your planner
Maybe I should mention this: Take care of your health, your relationships, and your career to ensure that you enjoy what you’re doing. Most of us sit down too much, which negatively impacts both our mental and physical health. The longer we sit, the less consistent and productive we are. Also, try to get a good night’s sleep. Are you tired all the time? As the saying goes, a good day starts the night before and if you’re struggling to get some shuteye, you’re one step behind.
Studies show sleeping less than seven hours is linked to a higher rate of depression. Unsure whether you’re getting enough sleep? According to the National Sleep Foundation, adults should be getting between 7 and 9 hours.
Eat foods to boost your energy and focus. Our brains need fuel to function, and most of that fuel comes from the food we eat. The good news is there are many naturally energizing foods that will make you more productive and help you stay focused.
These include avocados, beets, salmon, tuna, and other fatty fish. The omega 3-fatty acids in fatty fish can reduce inflammation, which is one of the leading causes of fatigue.
Develop a healthier relationship with stress. Stress is inevitable. And while you can’t control the stressful situations in your life, you can control how you respond to them. First, change your mindset. The most effective way to cope with stress isn’t to avoid it, but instead to embrace it. In fact, studies show that stress can work for you, rather than against you.
When we’re under stress, our hearts beat faster and our breath quickens. While most people see these as signs of nervousness, you can change your thinking to: “I’m excited.” Please note your body has the same physiological response to fear and excitement. The way you process it is entirely up to you.
Without these, you will never be consistent. So, enjoy the ride on your way as you move onwards and upwards and forward in life’s journey.
Celebrate the small victories
The secret to achieving a goal is momentum. The way you build momentum is by making progress. To increase your chances of success, set small achievable goals – and as you accomplish each one, it will motivate you to stay consistent and keep pushing forward.
There will be times when you will get to a crossroads, and the question becomes: will you let the obstacle drag you down or use it to propel you forward?
Consistency is what gives you the strength to keep going during tough times and focus on your progress, not the outcome. When you’re consistent, you don’t let life’s disappointments derail you. You see mistakes as learning opportunities and understand that overcoming failure is what allows you to unlock your true potential.
CONCLUDING THOUGHTS
If you would like to achieve your goals and maintain your relationships, you need to be consistent in the effort you put forth. Even though it is possible to be at your best every day, you should try your best every day. That is the consistency you should strive for. Even though it might be difficult, some of the few ways you can make this easier on yourself has been discussed above.
Let’s remember that you’re not going to wake up tomorrow morning and suddenly be consistent in everything you do. Not everything is going to matter enough to you where you’ll even want to be consistent. Sometimes people says that they aren’t consistent with studying in school and I remind them that maybe they’re not passionate about what they’re doing. You can’t force passion and of course, it’s going to be hard to stay consistent with something you couldn’t care less about.
Regardless, the above should help get you started on your journey to being more consistent in life. In your habits. In your goals. But I also want you to remember that it’s okay to be an amateur. When you’re first starting out, you won’t be anywhere near where you want to be – and that’s okay. We all have to start somewhere. Consistency doesn’t mean you’ll never mess up, it means you won’t give up. Consistent habits will eventually become your lifestyle.
To your success!
Oyewole O. Sarumi PhD – Coach, Speaker, Author.
