The True Cost of Failing to be Consistent
How to avoid losing trust, confidence, results and the success you desire
How consistent are you in your life?
We often laugh at ourselves for failing to be consistent, yet again. However, there are huge costs for failure in this department. Moreover, I believe, once we understand the true costs, it becomes a huge driver to up the level of consistency. Furthermore, being selective about what you are consistent with, creates a lever for greater successes or more failures. So, let’s start with a definition of consistency in this context.
Consistency is ‘the quality or act of always behaving in the same way.’
Consistency often means boredom and our brains crave variety
Herein lies the first problem. To create habits and the behaviours we desire, we have to repeat them over and over again to lock them in. Yet our brains love variety especially visual distractions. Unless we are consistent we won’t achieve the level of success we desire.
Furthermore, if we aren’t consistent be won’t create helpful and healthy habits. Moreover, habits are the foundation of most of what we do. Healthy habits ensure we eat well, drink water and exercise our bodies. They help us curb our sugar cravings, chocolate or junk food intake.
Habits help us build trust in ourselves
In addition, habits help us build confidence as we prove to ourselves that we can do what we will say we will do. And how we feel about ourselves shapes our identity. Helpful habits ensure we are disciplined to focus on what is important in our businesses, complete projects on time, adhere to deadlines and do any number of other mundane yet necessary daily chores and tasks. They help us build discipline which is an essential ingredient of, what I call GRIT.
What can reduce Confidence?…. Failing to stick to your actions
When you aren’t adhering to good habits which require you to be consistent, you minimise your confidence and are more likely to settle to being stuck with who you are right now.
When this happens, it is hard to shift out of your current identity and into a better version of yourself. Furthermore, a continual failure to be consistent keeps you stuck and settling for mediocrity.
So you get stuck in the current (that familiar you) you, trying to change your results from your past and going nowhere fast. A bit like a hamster going round and round in the wheel but never getting anywhere.
Habits tend to feel comfortable and familiar whether they are helpful or not
Despite feeling uncomfortable you get used to this way of operating, as it fits comfortably, even if you desire to change it. Furthermore, the word habit is still used occasionally today in relation to clothing. A ‘riding habit’ is occasionally used, which is an outfit or garment a horse rider wears that identifies who they are, exactly as your habits fit you.
Moreover, to change, you have to get uncomfortable and commit to being consistent in your new behaviour until you grow into the new habit. And discovering keystone habits is key for a great day ahead.
When you fail to be consistent in all you do, your level of trust with others falls
‘Call when you say you will, show up when you say you will, and deliver what you say you will. Inconsistency destroys trust and trust is the foundation of all relationships.’ Paul Carrick Brunson
In a Harvard Business Review study, one of the key elements of trust in companies is consistency. The extent to which leaders walk their talk and do what they say they will do. People rate a leader high in trust if they:
- Are a role model and set a good example.
- Walk the talk.
- Honour commitments and keep promises.
- Follow through on commitments.
- Are willing to go above and beyond what needs to be done.
Most of your behaviours and responses are habitual and habits are built by being consistent
Consistency extends to every single area of your life and comes at a high cost if you don’t cultivate it. 95% of your behaviours and responses are habitual. Most people don’t do the things they say they will do.
Finally, remember that habits are learned responses and reactions that have become automatic without having to think about them. If you are a trained pianist you don’t have to think about which note to play as you perform. A high-jumper doesn’t have to think about which foot to take off when performing.
Furthermore, a leader who is consistent doesn’t have to second guess what to say or do. They know they will keep their word. Confidence and belief are built by you doing the things you say you will do.
So what do you want to change today?
First, make a decision to change. Weigh up the high cost of not changing and then commit. Make a plan to start creating a new habit. Next, schedule your actions into your diary. Acknowledge your wins, reward yourself and keep going.
Remember a pianist has to practice a new piece and a pentathlete has to practice each sport individually to compete in the whole event. So that means you too have to practice your new behaviour over and over again to create a new habit. You must be consistent. And that is why most people never achieve what they want. They fail to be consistent.
If you would like to up your level of consistency, build your muscle of consistency and create healthy and helpful habits, I invite you to book a call on my calendar. I back my work up with a guarantee!
About Mandy
Mandy Napier is a Global High-Performance Mindset Coach who helps her clients get unstuck, breakthrough their current blocks, step into their potential and achieve extraordinary results personally and professionally. Transformations are the norm and results guaranteed.
- If you are ready to breakthrough your current results I invite you to book a Next Level Breakthrough Session on my online calendar. Let’s see how together we can work towards helping you achieve the results you want and create the life you desire.
OTHER FREE RESOURCES
- Discover how to do the things you know you should but don’t. Grab a copy of my free PDF guide Your Winning Mindset
- Access a FREE Course on How to Reduce Stress in the Mindset for Success Online Academy
Category: HabitsBy Mandy NapierMay 21, 2020
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