I made a decision, about a year and half ago, which nearly ruined two very good friendships of mine. It's a situation which brought on much embarrassment and I want to publicly acknowledge the issue, so others wouldn't make the same mistake.
The decision: I accepted the invitation to go jogging.
The plan was to jog nearly the distance of a 5k, by the time I reached the first "k," I was trying to figure out how I was going to fake an injury. Several times, I wanted to stop, take a break and turn around.
These two friends NEVER stopped!
At one point, on the way back, I was walking briskly with my hands on my hips, very "catwalk-esk" while one of my friends (we'll call him David) was literally jogging circles around me and my other buddy (Mike) was running backwards.
I was so mad!
Then I started thinking, "How could these two, just working out once or twice a year, eating whatever they want (donuts, McDonald's, extra cheese on virtually everything and scarfing Hostess - RIP: Twinkie), be in such good shape?"
Well, it's because it's not just a couple times a year they work out. They are constant in the observance of health. I'm not saying they're perfect, but they are consistent.
In fact, not that I've seen it, but I've heard rumored you can see Mike at the gym running on a treadmill, at an incline of 10, speed of 7 and with 30lb dumbbells raised above his head - FOR WARM UP!
Consistency is an eternal law
- a truth whether it is secular or spiritual. A never changing, never ending, constant regardless of the situation. Because it's human nature to look for the easy way out, we don't honor flakiness or spotty behavior. We recognize great perseverance, dedication and consistency.
In 1995, Cal Ripken Jr. broke Lou Gehrig's record for consecutive games played. In September of 1998 after playing 2,632 consecutive games he, voluntarily, ended the streak.
This means, if you were to put all those games together, started playing one day and continued every day till you got to this same number - without EVER missing a day - you would play for nearly seven and a half years. When he was inducted into the Hall of Fame, he had the highest vote total ever by the Baseball Writers Association of America.
If you want to succeed, and more importantly advance in your career, be cognisant of the principle of consistency.
Promotion and advancement are sums of a consistent effort to not only do and be your best, but to perform just a little bit more than expected. You want a promotion? Here are 4 ways consistency will get you there:
Consistency in Reliability
My wife once said of me, which I try to live up to in every situation, "If Rich says he'll do it, he will do it." My very first promotion came when I told my boss he could call me anytime for help. I received a call the very next Saturday asking me to come into the office. I sat with a client who traveled during the week and could meet only on the weekends, (though my job was Monday through Friday). While meeting with the client, my boss watched me navigate easily through the new software. On Monday I was given designation to oversee the training of all employees and move quickly up the charts when it came to additional responsibility (which in-turn moved my income up as well).
Consistency in Self-Improvement
It's easy to take a lunch break, hang out in the car and catch up on some time alone to decompress (and sometimes it's necessary). However, if you can take a few minutes of your free or personal time, ask your employer for an opportunity to learn a new task, to recommend a book or even allow you to shadow someone else.
Consistency in Positivity
You will not find a senior level executive who is negative about the company for which he or she works stay in a position of power for long. Positivity breads positivity. If you maintain a positive outlook, especially about your department, team and specifically employer you will be not only find yourself happier in your occupation, but others will find you more enjoyable as an individual.
Consistency in Selflessness
In my business I see people who offer assistance and demonstrate their hand, palm up, in search of compensation. These individuals will almost certainly do the same thing to a competitor of mine, selling me out for whomever of us offers the bigger cut. If there is someone who needs help, help them. Do it without the thought of, "What's this going to do for me." You'll be amazed at, not only the immediate response of the person you are helping, but the future relationship you will develop with this person - giving you both a mutually beneficial (whether professional or personal) association.
If consistency were easy, no one would grant it attention. This is why you, being consistent in doing the right thing, will succeed and receive recognition for your efforts.
No Olympic athlete signed up for the games and won without a consistent effort to master their sport. Neither did I receive any award for the one time I backed away from the monitor long enough to lace up my shoes and begrudgingly struggle to find my way home, after the first half of my "friendly" jogging experience.
I've since forgiven my friends for subjecting me to such misery. However, I've learned to be more consistent, when asked to go jogging, to say, "No, thank you."
This article was originally published on FamilyShare.com. Check out these other related articles: Make the most of your hard work: 8 career tips, Never work a day in your life. Tips on choosing a career and Top 10 degrees for financially successful careers.
