“If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.”
“FOCUS: Follow One Course Until Success”
I could go on with numerous quotations extolling the virtues of consistency. Never give up; keep doing the work; most people give up just before they would have succeeded.
And yet we’re facing an epidemic of burnout in our culture.
People are going at it so hard and so long that they simply run out of resources or capacity to keep going. They’re not quitting; they’re collapsing.
I was talking with someone recently who said that they wanted more consistency in their life. They wanted to work longer without stopping so frequently. They would go as long as they could, but it felt like they were holding their breath.
Using their breath metaphor, I made a simple observation. I said, “Consistency in breathing is different from consistency in holding your breath.” This was a turning point in our conversation.
Many kinds of growth in life benefit from a strategy of surge and rest. There will be periods when “I just have to keep going!” is the right message to send yourself. And for long-term sustainable growth, there will also be periods when rest is crucial and must not be seen as a sign of weakness or slothfulness.
The kind of consistency that’s modeled after breathing includes a regular pattern of both, with a strategic beginning and end to the rest period, and a commitment to intensity during the surge.
If someone you know is looking for personal growth like this to advance with excellence in their career, encourage them to visit stevedwire.com/talk for a complimentary conversation.
Leave a Reply