HOW TO BECOME A CONSISTENCY CHAMPION!
Have you ever had a goal that seemed too big to achieve? Have you ever wanted to achieve something great, but always seem to fall off a few days in? Then you may be missing one word that can absolutely change everything! And that word is consistency. Whether you are training, working, eating, reading, or anything else, consistency is always needed if you want to be your best! In his book Make Today Count, John Maxwell says, “You will never change your life until you change something you do daily.” That means if you want to get stronger, faster, smarter, or leaner, you need to change one thing you do every day. On the mat, we always say that consistency is key! That is why it is so important to come to two classes every week! Our Spring Black Belt cycle just started last week and consistency is going to become their best friend. When trying to achieve Black Belt, students go through three months of training not just on the mat, but also off the mat. Not two days, not three days – everyday they are doing something to improve themselves. That is why, at the end of the three months, so many people that go through the Black Belt cycle achieve so many results… It is the consistency in their training every day! What is even cooler though is that you don’t have to be in the Black Belt cycle to start being consistent – You can do it right now and apply it to any area of your life to become a consistency champion! Here are some key tips to being consistent both on and off the mat!
- Write it down. You are more likely to achieve your goals if they are written down where you can see them daily. If your goal is to read a book, write down how many pages a day you want to read and the day you want to be finished by. If you see this every single day, you are more likely to think about reading and getting the book done. In the Black Belt cycle, the candidates write down what Black Belt means to them, how it will make them feel, and every week they reflect on what they did and how they felt. One of the best ways to become a consistency champion is to write your goals down!
- Pound the Stone. There is a cool book called Pound the Stone by Joshua Medcalf. In it, he explains the importance of consistency and gives the example of a mason pounding a stone. He may hit the stone one time everyday for 100 days and it still doesn’t break or change. This is where most people give up and say that they have been doing something for so long and they still see no changes or results. What most people don’t know is that on the 101st hit is where the stone will break and you will see all your results. What most people also don’t realize is that it is about who you become in the process, not about the end result. That is why we say that a Black Belt is not something that you get. Anyone can go buy a Black Belt online and wear it, but they will never truly be one. That is because Black Belt is something you become! If you want to stay consistent, don’t look at the end goal, focus on who you are becoming in the process.
- Think Big – Start Small. Have you ever heard how you eat an elephant? ONE bite at a time! Lots of people set big goals, try hard for a few weeks, and then give up because they aren’t where they want to be. That is like a new White belt saying they want to achieve their Black Belt by next month! We all know that it takes time, training, and lots of consistency to become a Black Belt! If you really want to achieve a goal and become a consistency champion, do it the right way. Set a goal big enough to motivate you and small enough to not intimidate you, then take it one step, one day, one page at a time!
- Find a buddy! One of the best ways to stay consistent is to find someone to stay consistent with! Pick a person or a few people that will keep you on track to being your best and achieving your goals. Just make sure that they will give you a nudge or a push back on track if you ever start falling off. My consistency team is Coach Mark, Mrs. Jamie, Coach Phil, Mr. Frank, and Ms. Lauren. Anytime I feel I am not doing what I should be or I am not feeling the way I want to, I know they will always help me get back to where I need to be. Find your consistency buddy to help you as well!
“Success is neither magical nor mysterious. Success is the natural consequence of consistently applying basic fundamentals.” – Jim Rohn
Respectfully,
Mr. Josh Sivel
Underground Martial Arts and Fitness Center
Self-Defense, Strength, and Success Instructor
2nd Degree Black Belt