How to Stay Consistent with Consistency

“What’s consistent in your life; is your life” –Abdul Rauf

One of my closest and dearest friends Sohaib Mugheera Siddiqui tagged me in one of his Facebook Status Updates during last couple of weeks and it read as given below:

He shared a problem he’s been facing since his childhood and that was ‘inconsistency’ in what he does. Being consistent is as important as is difficult to be. But when you get it; it becomes habit to do something which is then easy to carry on. My comment in its response was:

Before dipping ourselves into the sea of tips, tricks and how-to regarding getting consistent; let’s discover the power of consistency.

Importance of Consistency
This is truly true that, “Idea creates action; action creates habit; habit creates personality; personality creates character and character becomes your destiny.” But actually these sentences can only be true when they’re blended with “Consistency”. So now let’s reform it as;

“Consistent idea creates action; consistent action creates habit; consistent habit creates personality; consistent personality trait creates character and consistent character becomes your destiny.”

To quote myself,

“Consistency is what matters the most in triggering something important to your life” –Abdul Rauf

Apply this quote by me onto one of aspects of your life and see if I’m true. If not, feel free to let me know through comments below and/or use this form to contact me.
If you’re consistent in doing morning-exercises, you will enjoy positive health benefits onto your mind and body. You get big-thing-done if you are consistent. Relatively bigger achievements are always done by consistently doing things.

Take example of some celebrities like Bill Gates, Shahrukh Khan, Auron Shwartz, Mark Zukerburg, Oprah Winfrey, Warren Buffet, Darren Rowe, Barack Obama, Jaun Eliya, Qudrat-ullah Shahab, Mumtaz Mufti; Consistency is common trait among them. Let me know if Shahrukh Khan would have stopped acting after doing his first film ‘Dewana’, what would have happened? If Bill Gates would have believed what his teacher has said about him (that he cannot study anymore), what would have happened to his career? Barack Obama has been consistently failed in many elections and in the end, has become President of US (even for the 2nd time only because he is consistent). Darren Rows has been consistently working as successful pro blogger for many years. He still works from 7 to 8 hours per day.

How to be Consistent
Now let’s dive into what it takes to be consistent.

1. Be a Finisher
Be a finisher – not mere a starter. Look back to your life and see if you have only been a starter.

“Getting started does matter but getting something done is an achievement” -Unknown

So, finish it what you’ve just started. End-product is what’s presentable to the people or even to you. Being just a starter alone is against your self-esteem as well. Mind your self-respect. This keeps you on track.

“Motivation is what gets you started; habit what keeps you going” -Abdul Rauf

“Do What You Can”

Quoting another comment by our mutual lovely friend named Waqas Mugheera Iqbal to the status update by SM Siddiqui,

“In the morning, see what you can achieve all the day, start achieving it.” -Waqas Mugheera Iqbal

Life has a simple rule;

“Do things the way they ought to be done”.

Simple as it is. This is simple universal rule,

“If you do what you can, you will be a successful man/woman.” -Abdul Rauf

By doing so, you have a clear to-do list for the day. Jot it dowm on the paper. Next recquired things are; passion, willpower, ‘I can do’ behavior, approach etc. But be a real person. No-one is super hero. Super-hero doesn’t exist. While creating to-do list for yourself, never overestimate. Believe in realism.

Decide What’s Really Important
Before doing things randomly, decide what’s really important. Set your priorities and go accordingly. Ponder over what, why and how you do things in life. When SM. Siddiqui updated his status update, Khawaja Shahid, one of our lovely mutual friends, has advised as given below:

His point in my words is, “Ponder before you decide. Get your decision-making power audited by comprehension.” he actually advised to ponder and comprehend before making some decision because decisions are crucial in one’s life. Think before you speak; ponder before you decide. Then do what you’ve decided on priority-base earlier. Stand by it.

Be Strong & Health
You may or may not believe but consistency and being strong & healthy have a strong relation. This has been observed that strong and healthy people are more consistent or say ‘Consistent people are stronger and healthier’. Here, by being strong, I mean strong mentally and being healthy means being strong physically. Latter is the case all the time. Your willpower makes you mentally stronger. Your “I can do” attitude makes you stronger and healthier. Being healthy is important as well;
“A sound body has a sound mind”.
So to be strong, be healthy first. [Note: Being strong physically doesn’t necessarily make you strong mentally. It’s probable case somehow.] Go to exercise in the morning. Make workout plan. Eat healthy and live fresh. Famous quote is there,

“You are what you eat.”

Study reveals doing exercise enhances your willpower. Stronger your willpower is; higher is the chance of getting consistent in what you do. Approach to how you do things does matter in your life.

Decide What’s Really Important
Before doing things randomly, decide what’s really important. Set your priorities and go accordingly. Ponder over what, why and how you do things in life. When SM. Siddiqui updated his status update, Khawaja Shahid, one of our lovely mutual friends, has advised as given below:
His point in my words is, “Ponder before you decide. Get your decision-making power audited by comprehension.” he actually advised to ponder and comprehend before making some decision because decisions are crucial in one’s life. Think before you speak; ponder before you decide. Then do what you’ve decided on priority-base earlier. Stand by it.

Delete Distraction/Hinderances
Remove as many distractions as possible. If something cuases you to divert your thoughts from your work, delete it if you can.

If these distractions keep disturbing you; you will end up ultimately. So make a list of possible hinderances and then consider deleting them to a possible extent.

Self-Control (Jihad-un-Nafs)
Self-Control is also important thing to be consistent at doing something which means a lot to you. Arabs/Muslims can call this as “Jihad-un-Nafs”. Control your thoughts and try to focus them onto essential stuff for you. Practice Jihad-un-Nafs and expect better results in return. Self-control is one of the most difficult points I’ve suggested here. But at the sametime, it’s very essential in making you consistent. How can you be consistent without going against your random (unwanted) desires?

Time-Tabling/Schedulising
Believe it or not, but you’d want to schedulise your tasks to be consistent. Studies have revealed that you’re more consistent at the things you do on the sametime regularly. Setting up a timetable is as easy as 1,2,3 but following accordingly is not a child’s play.

But I know you are not a child. After all, this is why you studying a mature topic here. Follow other given points here to follow your timetable. In start, set timetable for 20 days. Tell your mind that you are going to follow them only for 20 days. 20-days formula works. Actually, after repeating your routine, you become used to it. Break your work into doable pieces. Follow Facebook-Timeline Model. This keeps you on track. And this lets you realise you can do it. After doing all this; see what big-things you have achieved.

Dont Associate with Inconsistent People
Hmmm… Seems like a harsh/rude point? Let’s comprehend it.

“You become the person you mostly hang with.” -AbdulRauf

This is a fact but let’s make this taste sweet. How? Of course by hanging out with good people – consistent ones in this case. When you associate with inconsistent guys, you dont feel the importance of being consistent. Surround yourself with the people who are more consistent at what they do. Inpire and get inspired.

Last Word

I always say that no-one can reform you until you yourself dont want it. So, no-one can make you consistent person but only “You”.  If I have missed some poin, feel free to share your thoughts and experiences in comments below.