Five Steps to Creating Greater Consistency in Your Life

Consistency is a good thing when the things we are consistent about are good things. If you want to get great results, we must do the things that create those results consistently. Here are five steps to create consistency – the kind that will give you the results you want.

The Five Steps

• Have a goal. Make sure to create consistency aligned with a goal you want to achieve.
• Have a Why. As useful as a goal is, it isn’t where consistency begins. The why or purpose for the goal will be the driver to help you create true consistency.
• Create a habit. To reach your goal, you need to know the steps to take. At least one of those steps will be to create a habit – something you do regularly to help you achieve the goal. This Habit is the target for your consistency.
• Track the habit. Whether daily, weekly, or monthly, track if you did it or how much of it you did. This regularity helps sustain the habit. Track with a measurement or a simple yes or no.
• Create a streak. If you go 8 days and then miss, start a new streak. Try for 10 or more next time. Make it your goal to not miss and you are, by definition, building consistency.

An Overview

When you look at the steps, they make sense – they aren’t rocket science. Don’t be fooled by the simplicity, though. Doing the five steps in order creates consistency on important habits that support important goals. Take the time to create the habits and track them. Then, routinely check both your progress and results. You may find you need to adjust your habit to stay in alignment with your goal. If so, rework steps 3-5.

An Important “But”

Despite what I have said, much has been written disparaging consistency too. Here are two of the most famous thoughts about consistency, with my comments.

According to Oscar Wilde, “Consistency is the hallmark of the unimaginative.” Yet, as useful as imagination is, so is showing up and doing what needs to be done. The imagination comes into play in the first three steps. The work that follows (steps 4 and 5) turns what you can imagine into reality.

Emerson said, “A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.” When the word “foolish” is there – I agree completely. If you follow the five steps above, your consistency won’t be foolish, will it?