4 benefits of consistency
Did you know that, out of 4 million podcasts, only 4% of them have more than 10 episodes and have put out a new one in the past 10 days? This is based on statistics taken in 2022.
Why is consistency so hard? It's easy to start yet difficult to sustain for a long period of time. We don't get major results right away, so it requires patience and dedication. Life gets in the way, so it requires planning, flexibility, and resilience.
Consistency is one of the hardest things to achieve. We could be talking here about a podcast or blog, or a new initiative at work, or a networking strategy, or building a new habit.
I know I have a love-hate relationship with consistency:
I hate how it is a forever project. The answer to “how long does it take to build a new habit?” is forever. It’s no longer a habit if you stop. Likewise, it's no longer consistent if you stop.
I hate how it is so slow. Every few months, I have to remind myself this is the way it is because I get super impatient.
I love how it makes me feel better. It's made me feel accomplished, grounded, and confident - more so than many major achievements of my life.
I love how I can see the progress. There must be a track record if it is consistent. And I can measure it tangibly.
So when it gets hard, I remind myself of consistency's benefits. Let's start with these 4:
Consistency builds trust and confidence, both in ourselves and with the people we lead. It fosters a sense of predictability and stability. We thrive in environments where we know what to expect. Also, following through with a high level of accountability increases confidence in us as leaders.
Consistency reduces decision fatigue. We don't have to decide in each moment whether we want to do it or not. We've made that decision already and we know why. In the moment, we can focus our efforts instead on doing the thing and how we want to do it. This boosts productivity.
Consistency generates steady progress. We don't rush into things too quickly in a way that leads to burnout nor do we stagnate. We intentionally take a step at a time in regular intervals so it is manageable and sustainable. Author Jon Acuff says, “You don't binge progress. You build progress.”
Consistency reinforces values and culture. Our actions repeatedly demonstrate our core values. We become the person we want to be by doing things that person would do. And when we are in a leadership role, our steady influence on people leads to establishing a culture and a brand. Executive and entrepreneur Heidi Roizen describes a brand as “a promise of consistency.”
Do you struggle with consistency? I hope these reminders help a little bit!
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