Be Consistent For Optimal Results
There’s a phrase I heard a while back that initially struck me as odd, but after I thought about it made a lot of sense. “Have an average day” is the phrase. I heard Steve Chandler tell a story about how one of his coaches, Lyndon Duke, used this phrase quite commonly. In short, the premise is that it is impossible to be exceptional all of the time. Perhaps even at all. And striving to be exceptional can lead down a path of negative and stressful thoughts. BUT if you are consistently average (and the key here is consistently), you will gradually work your way towards mastery of anything.
One of the observations I’ve made about successful people is that they are consistently average with their daily routine. They create daily schedules and stick to them. Successful people are very good at not letting distractions interfere with what they have on their schedule. Conversely, I’ve noticed that people who are “stuck” and not achieving their goals are usually struggling with this consistency.
Tips to create a daily schedule and be consistent
- Wake up at the same time every day
- Make sure not to check Facebook, email, etc first thing when you wake up.
- Do something positive in the first hour after you wake up (meditate, stretch, read motivational material, etc.)
- Choose a time to exercise and make it the same time every day
- Write down (or type in) your to-do list and your schedule on a calendar
- Block your work time into power hours – you can get a lot accomplished in an hour
- Plan for breaks and schedule these into your day
- Make time in your schedule for friends & family
- In the evening, create a system to wind down from your busy day to help prepare for your day tomorrow
When you wake up tomorrow, and every day for the next month or two, focus on being consistently average. See what happens.
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Michael Hurd, Executive Coach
