The Power of Continuity: Why Your Life Deserves More Consistency

Endless Distractions

In a world filled with endless distractions and enticing new pursuits, consistency often falls by the wayside. It's so easy to jump from one shiny object to another, seeking immediate gratification or the thrill of something new. However, in this endless cycle of jumping around, we tend to overlook one crucial factor - the power of consistency. Consistency, or the steady repetition of actions over time, is one of the most potent forces that can lead to tremendous improvements in various areas of life, whether it be mindfulness, nutrition, fitness, software development, or financial management, to name a few. Below I explore why we often neglect consistency, the benefits that consistent habits bring, and how we can make consistency a regular part of our lives.

Understanding Inconsistencies

Human beings are naturally drawn to novelty - we are wired to seek and explore new things. This propensity, while advantageous for survival and creativity, can lead to a cycle of inconsistency in maintaining beneficial habits or practices. Boredom with the repetitiveness, distractions creeping in, or succumbing to the 'Shiny Object Syndrome’ (the tendency to chase after seemingly better, novel things constantly) are some common reasons contributing to this inconsistency.

When we come across a new wellness trend, a unique coding technique, or an exciting finance hack, it's common to abandon the current course and dive right into it. We jump from goal to goal, routine to routine, losing sight of what we initially set out to do. This pattern can have detriments in personal and professional life, leading to under-achieved goals, unmet potential, and a general sense of unfulfillment.

The Merits of Consistency

On the other hand, consistency is an invaluable attribute that can profoundly influence our successes across various domains - mindfulness, nutrition, fitness, coding, automation, finances, and software.

Consistency in mindfulness practice helps to train our attention, improving self-awareness and emotional well-being. In nutrition, consistent healthy eating habits contribute to sustained weight management and overall improved health. Similarly, regular fitness exercises enhance physical health and resilience, while consistent practice in coding and use of software for automation can refine skills ensuring professional growth in the tech world. Reliable financial practices, on the other hand, promise financial stability and growth.

The power of consistent actions cannot be overstated. It's the small, repeated steps taken over time that often lead to enormous changes and improvement. And it is minor shifts in behavior that produce consistency. The benefits of consistency can often be compared to the compounding interest effect in finance, where, over time, small efforts and marginal changes in yield produce significant returns.

Next, we will focus on the strategies that can inspire sustained consistency in your life.

Strategies for Achieving and Maintaining Consistency

Nurturing consistency, like any habit, requires conscious effort, persistence, and sometimes novel strategies to keep things fresh. Here is how you can inject more consistency into your life:

Start Small:

A great way to make habits more engaging and sustainable is to start small. For instance, instead of an hour of coding practice every day, start with ten or fifteen minutes. Gradually increase the time as the habit becomes a part of your routine.

Build a Routine:

Regular habits are easier to maintain when they become part of your daily routine. Assign a specific time slot for the activity you want to focus on. "Habit stack" it immediately after something you already do. It could be mindfulness practice in the morning or coding practice in the evening.

Keep your Goals in Mind:

Visible reminders of your goals can help steer your focus away from distractions. Keep a vision board or make a regular note checking in your progress towards achieving the goal. The clearer your vision and the more present in your daily life, the more you will take consistent action.

Eliminating Distractions:

Actively work towards reducing distractions. This could mean setting your phone on ‘Do Not Disturb’ mode while working, implementing digital minimalism, or creating a dedicated workspace at home. Even just setting your phone to greyscale is a simple change to make the real physical world more interesting than your phone.

Overcome 'Shiny Object Syndrome':

Practice mindful decision-making regarding new opportunities. Consider your current goals, the potential benefits, and drawbacks of the new opportunity, and ensure it aligns with your long-term goals. Remember that new ideas often look more enticing because they don't yet have the lessons of experience. What will it feel like to be deep in the execution of this new opportunity? Will you sustain it?

Accountability:

Having someone to hold you accountable can be a strong motivator to stick to your habit. This could be a mentor, peer, a group with similar interests, or even an online community. Even software solutions work for accountability for many, including myself. I'm a power user of Beeminder for self-accountability, and while I rarely pay them, the possibility of paying motivates my actions often.

Celebrate Playing, Not Winning:

Acknowledge and celebrate your progress. I'm a firm believer that being in the game, showing up, trying, fighting, and pushing are the types of things we should celebrate. It is progress, not success, that is the key to human fulfillment. If you base your satisfaction on "winning" rather than "playing" you will be often dissapointed by losing, and even winning will be rare, because even for the highest achievers, every fight is not victory. This reinforces the importance of consistent action and motivates you to keep going.

These strategies are not definitive but serve as a starting point. Implement what feels right, discard what doesn’t, and as always - innovate on your terms and do what you think is cool.

Conclusion

In the journey of life, consistency will be your trustworthy companion that brings you closer to your goals, one step at a time. It instils discipline, imparts resilience, and cultivates the patience to grow and evolve steadily.

So, shrug off the tendency for inconsistency, strive to embrace regularity and witness the magnificent improvements it unfurls in every facet of life.

Remember, it’s the steady dripping that carves a cavern. Hence, let’s strive to make consistency become our nature. Embrace the 'Power of Continity,' and offer yourself the life you deserve. Happy persisting!