Consistency v Extremes

It's kinda funny how we are about things sometimes. We announce to ourselves, and maybe even friends, family, the world, that we want to lose weight. And we dive in full force with maximum effort +++. We go ALL OUT.

Have you ever done that? You kill it in the gym. Cardio for 45 minutes every day, so much resistance training that brushing your teeth is painful. Zero sweets. Motivational quotes on the mirror. A pair of 2-sizes-too-small jeans front and center in in your closet. And the attitude of a Roman gladiator. 

Whew! What an exhausting 2 days!!! 🤪 You started on Monday and by Wednesday the F-it switch gets flipped on. 

And perhaps it wasn't the gym. Perhaps the all-out effort was starting a new business. Or meditation. Or quitting drinking. Or getting to work early. Or juicing. Or keeping up with the laundry or making your bed every morning.

I give you props for taking massive action with a lot of emotion behind it - normally an indicator of success. 

 But here's what's missing...consistency.

While I love that feeling of excitement that I, myself, feel at times and the energy of it from clients...sometimes we can benefit from an evolution versus a revolution.

Use the revolution, which is sudden, instantaneous, and more extreme, to make your decision, stake your flag in the ground, draw your line in the sand. Arms folded. 

Use the evolution, more slow, methodical and ever-lasting in approach, to transform your habits and therefore YOU. You are the sum of your habits. It's one of the reasons I named my company The Personal Evolution Company.

Consistency, not occasional, short-lived extremes, is what transforms your life.

Don't believe me? Just ask the Grand Canyon about the effects of a little water over time.

It's not the snapshot that shows the real picture; it's a series of snapshots over time that show you where you're heading.

If I took a snapshot of your life everyday at 6:00 AM, 9:00 AM, noon, 4:00 PM, and 7:00 PM...what would I know about your future?

That would be an interested homework assignment - to ask a client to set a phone alarm to go off at those times each day that says Where does what you're doing right now, if done consistently  lead you 6 months from now?

Try it! And let me know what a-ha's you have.

Today's Challenge:

Consider something in your life that you've been meaning to change but have had little success with. Choose one small behavior you are committed to changing - nothing too drastic.

For example, if weight loss is the goal, agree to manage the first third of your day well. Just the first third. Or decide to drink more water and get hydrated. Or to walk for 15 minutes 3 days a week.

Pick something small to focus on. Do well with it. Keep your promise to yourself regarding that one thing. Put a mark in your success column regarding that one thing. Success begets success. That win is the first ripple in the pond and it expands outward.

You can then look at the middle or final third of your day. Water consumption turns into consumption of green vegetables. And so forth and so on. 

Seriously - Take consistent action for 60 days and see what happens.

Set up reminders and prompts in your environment that make it easy and remind you. Also, set up a reward at the end of the 60-day period befitting the amount of effort it took to keep your promise. 

You'll get further faster with consistency than with one all-out extreme week of effort. Consistency will change your life!

Today is the day to #GoForIt and #LiveDeliberately. 

Founder, Personal Evolution Co.