Success is less about intelligence or intensity of effort and more about the consistency of practice.
I call it “consistency intelligence (CQ)”.
CQ is the most practical explanation for success in almost any field.
The people who spend the most time doing the same thing repeatedly, improving their craft and optimising their processes, end up successful.
Warren Buffet has spent over 40 years honing investing. Today, he is one of the most successful investors of all time.
Jeff Bezos sold his first book on Amazon in 1995. He has been being improving selling on Amazon for over 25 years. Today, he is the world’s second-richest person.
That’s the power of consistency.
Want to become a top writer? Show up every day and hone your craft. Want to write a book? Aim to write every day: you will finish it sooner than you think.
Want to get fit? Exercise at the same day/time every day or week. Don’t stress about the intensity of effort. Just make the process a sustainable routine.
Consistency compound efforts into better outcomes.
“It’s not about intensity, it’s about consistency…. if all you do is go to the dentist twice a year, your teeth will fall out. You have to brush your teeth twice a day for two minutes…,” says Simon Sinek.
Success is about honing better practices extraordinarily well every day. What you choose to do daily or weekly is more important than your intelligence.
If you are clever enough to know what to pursue in life or what to do with your life, focus on building a consistent habit that helps you make progress every day.
Sprinting is an illusion.
The most successful people in life combine intelligence with other qualities like persistence, discipline and commitment to a goal.
Intelligence is not just about how well you score on an IQ test; it also includes your ability to reason, solve problems, learn new things, adapt to different situations, control your emotions and work well with other people.
“Excellence is a habit,” Aristotle said.
If you want to be great at anything, get started and repeat the processes, habits, and behaviours that guarantee consistently good outcomes. It’s a better approach than relying on intelligence.
Intelligence has never been enough. That’s why the most intelligent people in the world are not always the most successful. You have to work for success.
Success is an infinite game of consistent practice
John Wooden, Hall of Fame College Basketball Coach explains it beautifully:
“When you improve a little each day, eventually big things occur. When you improve conditioning a little each day, eventually you have a big improvement in conditioning. Not tomorrow, not the next day, but eventually a big gain is made. Don’t look for the big, quick improvement. Seek the small improvement one day at a time.”
If you want success in any endeavour, consistency is not an option.
Identify the best actions you can take every day and double the amount of time you spend taking those actions. They are the key to your success.
The first step to being more consistent is understanding what you want to accomplish and why you want it. If you know what you’re aiming for, planning out a plan of action will be much easier.
Once you have a plan in place, it’s up to you to keep that plan on track by consistently working toward your goals day in and day out.
When you know what’s working, create a plan for dealing with challenges that might get in the way of your progress.
It may be hard to believe, but the power of consistency is more important than an impressive IQ. When you’re consistent with your work and follow through on your goals, you’re more likely to be successful.
To succeed in any pursuit, you need “consistency intelligence (CQ)”.
Consistency is essential in all areas of life.
Whether it’s your diet, exercise routine, developing a skill, pursuing a side hustle or starting something new, consistency will help you reach your goals faster.
When it comes to success, it’s not about what you do today or tomorrow. It’s about how consistent you are over the long term.
Successful people don’t focus on the end goal. They play the infinite game and build sustainable habits, rituals, routines and behaviours that guarantee progress every day.
If you want success in any area of your life, give yourself time to make real progress. Instead of sprinting, invest in the process.
Play the infinite game.
—
This post was previously published on MEDIUM.COM.
***
You may also like these posts on The Good Men Project:
White Fragility: Talking to White People About Racism | Escape the “Act Like a Man” Box | The Lack of Gentle Platonic Touch in Men’s Lives is a Killer | What We Talk About When We Talk About Men |
Join The Good Men Project as a Premium Member today.
All Premium Members get to view The Good Men Project with NO ADS.
A $50 annual membership gives you an all access pass. You can be a part of every call, group, class and community.
A $25 annual membership gives you access to one class, one Social Interest group and our online communities.
A $12 annual membership gives you access to our Friday calls with the publisher, our online community.