Darren: The fifth value is one of my favorites, and one that I think people struggle with the most: consistency. Talk to us about what you have learned about this value and how you can help others obtain it.
Paul: Well sure Darren. You know the value of consistency well from your wonderful book, The Compound Effect. One thing I have learned about consistency is that it can be the invisible secret to success. It’s invisible because you can’t always see it in someone – unless you are with them all the time. You can’t always see them being consistent. Some examples that require consistency to succeed are exercise, eating healthy, and social media marketing.
Consistency is about repetition, developing good habits, and making smart choices and decisions over time. To help others become more consistent, I would suggest they practice the following strategies: First, practice repetition. For example, if your goal is to lower your blood pressure, make a commitment to join a gym, meet with a trainer, and start exercising on a consistent basis – 3 or 4 times a week. Over time, your health will improve and the next time you see your doctor and get your blood pressure checked, you can thank your consistency for the positive improvement.
Another thing you can do to develop consistency is to practice making smart choices and decisions. Instead of the burger and fries, order a salad. Instead of going to the party, go to the library. Instead of spending an hour on Facebook, spend an hour practicing your craft.
Michael Jordan was known for his amazing consistency – for giving his best effort in practice and in games, on the road and at home, and against the best team in the league as well as the worst team. He was as consistent as they come. He played every game as if it were his last because, “He knew that in the stands were some fans who would never see him play again, other than that night.”
