Consistency: 5 tips
I used to think that things that made people successful were attributes like being clever or creative or an ability to communicate well. Now I think that the key to success, whether as a parent, a boss, a worker, a spouse or even owning a business is another “c” word, CONSISTENCY.
Watching the funeral for Queen Elizabeth II of England today I was thinking of how consistent (Leadership Lessons From Her Royal Highness, Queen Elizabeth (forbes.com)she was for 70 years as a monarch. There have been so many attributes mentioned that were consistent throughout her reign…her love of horses and Corgis, her insistence on duty to the crown and to her subjects.
How many times have you been to a restaurant and had a delicious meal and great service, told your friends about it, visited again (maybe even ordering the same dishes) and been sorely disappointed because service was bad, and the dish tasted different?
Do you have that friend or co-worker whose habits or work are just inconsistent? Frustrating, right?
How about exercise? Ever have that one friend that rarely exercises but signs up for a 10K run or takes a ski vacation only to end up pulling a muscle or worse because they weren’t exercising regularly?
Consistency is a quality that is undervalued because it’s not flashy. People are often awarded for their standout abilities, excelling, and achieving at various accomplishments — being better than co-workers. But being consistent is not about standing out or beating others…it’s about maintaining a habit or behavior regularly so the people around you can count on you because they know that you’ll be consistent.
Here are 5 tips to being more consistent:
- Don’t over promise or overestimate — be realistic — be who you are.
- Keep your promises — if you say you’re going to do something, do it.
- When it comes to your health; try picking one habit to adopt and be mindful about sticking with it. “I’m going to drink a glass of water each morning”
- If you’re trying to be more consistent about a certain behavior, write it down or articulate it. “I’m going to be 5 minutes early to all my meetings.”
- Don’t expect praise — consistency is about attitude and behavior — not about achieving a goal or even standing out in a crowd.