The consistency trap
When you are told to ‘find the motivation’, you’re being given bad advice.
You don’t find motivation, you CREATE motivation. Motivation doesn’t just suddenly hit you on the head one day, grabbing you by the hand and dragging you through all the tasks, habits and actions that are important to you.
Motivation is something you BE within yourself. You create it. And with that first spark of motivation, you’ll find the inspiration to keep moving.
When you are told to ‘be consistent’, that is also bad advice.
Why?
Because it’s not entirely accurate.
When people try to be consistent, they try to show up every day or a few times a week and they push themselves. It feels like an effort, like force and force is never a good sign.
What is consistency?
Two of the words used to describe what ‘consistency’ actually means are ‘steady’ and ‘regular’.
We think being consistent means showing up every day, perfectly and without fail. When we break that ‘consistent’ routine, we assume failure. It becomes very hard for us to begin to show up again. We have to ‘find the motivation’ all over again and because we think motivation is something ‘out there’ we need to ‘find’, it takes a long time to come back.
Consistency is an inward thing.
Let your values be consistent, let your morals be consistent, let your faith be consistent, let your peace be consistent and let your love be consistent.
When you’re consistent on the inside, your outside actions, habits and routines will mirror that internal consistency.
If you have no idea who you are, what you want, what or who is important to you, or which direction you want to go, obviously you external ‘consistency’ will reflect that inner chaos.
Motivation is created internally.
Consistency is grounded internally which when nurtured will bloom externally.
It’s not about perfection, never taking a break or never having a bad day.
It’s all of your actions as a whole.
That will determine if you are truly a consistent being.
Release yourself from trying to micromanage the external.
Look within, the steadiness is there always.
with love & growth,
Madison Mindset x
