Here we are completing the first half of this year. Perhaps like me, having reflected on where you are, you may truthfully admit that whereas there are some successes to celebrate, you still have areas where you can do better. Further reflection, revealed to me that my lack of consistency in certain areas may be responsible for the results before me.
Carol Dweck a renowned psychologist from Standford University who developed the growth mindset theory correctly observed that “it is not intelligence, talent or education that sets successful people apart. It is mindset that draws the distinction between those who go ahead to accomplish the goals they set and those who do not”. Carol defines mindset as “the way we approach life’s challenges”.
My Mentor John C Maxwell correctly observes that when it comes to the law of consistency, “motivation gets us going but it is discipline that keeps us growing”. From this law, I am able to deduce that whereas motivation is an external event, discipline is internal and it is what gives us the inspiration to continue on the trajectory that can lead us to become who we desire to be. Consistency is not just about doing the same things every day, instead it is a powerful leadership mindset that helps us transform our potential into the reality we crave. Consistency is the bridge that allows us to move from the visions we have to the results we crave. Effective leaders know that consistency is a daily choice regardless of how they feel. Consistency is what reminds us of what my Coach Valorie Burton likes to tell us her clients “Feelings are not facts”. This in effect means that when we have designed a plan to help us activate our vision, and suddenly we do not feel like going according to plan, we must allow ourselves to put those feelings to test and use the truth barometer to discredit those feelings and act according to the set plan. I believe that is what John Maxwell means when he states that “It does not matter how talented one is, or how many opportunities they receive, if we desire to grow, consistency is key”.
In his book Finish: Give yourself the gift of done, Jon Acuff correctly observes that “most of us do not have a problem starting but we struggle to finish and therefore we need to respect those who begin but admire the success of those who finish”. Unfortunately, I must confess that I am a great starter but a poor finisher. Upon taking the Maxwell Personality Assessment, my 30 page report, revealed that I am a Reformer. Finally, I was able to make sense of why I often question things. I am not the kind of person who is told to jump, and I jump, instead I tend to ask why. I question many things much to the annoyance of some people including my beloved husband. I know for sure that this is an area of growth for me and that it is a mindset issue that created this habit which I am working on overcoming. I know for sure that bad habits affect us and prevent us from achieving our goals. They dull our intrinsic potential and make things harder than they are. Take my habit of questionning for example, I am learning that I do not have to be in control of everything all the time. Being spontenous and living in the moment can bring about fun moments that make me a better leader of first myself and then others.
Amy Morin in her book 13 things mentally strong people do, reminds us that we can all develop mental power to help us cope with complex feelings and sort through our thoughts and thus maintain positive behaviour when we face challenging circumstances. She observes that some people possess more mental strength than the rest of us and this is due to three factors;
- Genes as some people have a predisposition to mental health disorders
- Personality as some people have traits that help smooth negative emotions and help them to react more positively than the rest of us
- Experiences and events in our lives that may affect the outlook we have on life
Effective leaders know that knowledge is power. As a Behaviour Consultant, learning this from the various de brief sessions I have with my Clients who have taken the Maxwell DISC Assessment is helping me to know how to adjust my mindset and become more consistent in building good habits. As a leadership and transformation coach, I advise my clients not to beat themselves over the fact that they may have started projects and left them unfinished. Instead, I request that they give themselves grace and evaluate their actions in relation to the three reasons above to find out why building consistency is a challenge for them. Using my trippl A strategy of Awareness, Acceptance and Action, we can work on building habits that lead to consistency. It is the 1% change that James Clear refers to in his book Atomic Habits when he advises that we focus on building systems instead of focusing only on goals.
In view of this, I caution that as we work on developing the mindset of consistency, let us keep in mind that this exercise is worth embarking upon because mental strength is what allows all of us to build resistance to stress when the troubles of life arise. It is also what allows us to live with contentment and enhances our performance as we run the race of life towards our desired destinations.
Coaching Moment: In what ways do you ensure that you are consistent with the habits that enable you to become who you are desiring to be?
Rosette is a Transformational Leadership Coach with The Maxwell Leadership Team. She has qualifications in Law, Business Administration as well as Human Resource Management and Development.