In today’s fast-paced world, the pursuit of perfection often takes center stage. We’re bombarded with messages that tell us we must excel in every aspect of our lives, whether it’s our career or our wellness journey. But what if we redirected our focus from perfection to consistency what will happen?
Motivational speakers have long emphasized the significance of consistency. Tony Robbins once said, “It’s not what we do once in a while that shapes our lives. It’s what we do consistently.” These words serve as a constant reminder that small, consistent actions can yield remarkable results in both our work and wellness.
I’m a prime example of what happens if you contrast perfectionism and consistency, because with age and failure comes wisdom. Perfection led to sleepless nights, overwhelming stress, and strained relationships…and let’s be frank, an opioid dependency, a failed business, and divorce number one. I couldn’t delegate tasks because I didn’t trust anyone to meet my high standards, workload increased, and burnout was real. There was no exercise, no sleep, and I was on the hamster wheel for sure.
Consistency = having the time to relax and enjoy while also grinding.
This was years before Angela Duckworth, a renowned psychologist wrote Grit, but man, her words ring true now and are definitely how I do life better, “Grit is living life like it’s a marathon, not a sprint.” I don’t have less zest for life or any less desire to go out and kill it, I probably have more of a desire to be God’s hands and feet but I have realized that my pursuit of perfection was akin to sprinting in a marathon, and was unsustainable. Once I shifted my focus from perfection to consistency, and set realistic goals for myself I started to thrive. Here’s my tips:
- Set Realistic and Achievable Goals:
- Instead of aiming for a perfect outcome, set clear and achievable goals for yourself. Break your larger goals into smaller, manageable tasks that you can tackle one step at a time. This approach allows you to focus on making steady progress rather than trying to achieve flawless results right away.
- You just have to start. Don’t look at the whole staircase, you’ll get overwhelmed by the number of steps. Just take it one at a time and you’ll get to the top. Consistent steps and you’ll get there.
- Create a Consistent Routine:
- Establishing a daily or weekly routine can help you build consistency in various aspects of your life. Whether it’s work, wellness, or personal development, having a set schedule can make it easier to maintain regular habits. Start with small, attainable routines and gradually expand them as you become more comfortable with consistency.
- “Yeah, but my schedule is variable” Trust me, I get it, I worked a variable schedule for 20 years, it was hard. Get consistent on either side of the variables. Whenever you wake up, do a morning routine, work out, have quiet time, etc.
- Embrace the “Progress Over Perfection” Mindset:
- Shift your mindset from seeking perfection to valuing progress. Understand that making mistakes and encountering setbacks are a natural part of any journey. Instead of getting discouraged, view these challenges as opportunities for growth and learning. Celebrate your progress, no matter how small, and use it as motivation to keep moving forward. Our pastor is just wrapping up a series on Failing Up and taking chances if you want some good encouragement in your life.
It’s crucial to remember that striving for excellence is admirable, but the relentless pursuit of perfection can be detrimental. Consistency allows us to make progress, learn from our experiences, and ultimately achieve excellence in our work and wellness journeys. And here’s the real important part for me, I’m role modeling behavior for my boys that’s healthy. I don’t want them to live a life of burnout and feeling like they have to be perfect. I want them to know consistent effort is what’s going to push them forward.