Welcome to the month of May. We are 5 months into the year 2023. Is it fair to say that the months are going very quickly? Maybe it’s just me, but I think a lot of people can agree that this year is cruising by. For that reason, I want us to talk about it, let’s talk about the elephant in the room. Remember, at the beginning of the year how you had all these goals and ideas. Well, how is it going? Answer truthfully… this is a non judgement zone. Alright well, if things haven’t gone to plan so far. Let’s talk about how you can be consistent with your goals.
I know that for some of you, the ideas and goals you set out for the New Year are not going well. Let’s say that at the start of the year, your goal was to start going to the gym for health and fitness purposes. The plan you have, is going to the gym 2 to 3 times a week, without fail. If you have stuck by this plan, and have showed up for yourself for the past 5 months. I can guarantee that you have made tremendous progress. Whatever your goal is, whether it is strength training, weight loss, or simply just your overall fitness. Best believe that you have made progress toward you goal. You know what makes the difference… consistency. Consistency is Key 🔑
3 reasons why you need to start being consistent
1. If you don’t do it, it will never be done.
I love this saying, because it is true. If we don’t do the things that we set our minds on ,they will never be done. Ideas are just ideas, thoughts are just thoughts, until we do something about them. If your goal, like mine, was to learn a new language in the new year. Unless you did something about this goal, I can guess, just like me, that you are 5 months into the year and still don’t know a single sentence in Spanish. It’s frustrating when I think about how far I couldn’t been, if I had committed to the goal from the start. But, like the statement, says, I didn’t do it, so, well… I still don’t know how to speak Spanish.
2. If I started it sooner, I would have been far by now.
How many times have you said to yourself, if I had started sooner, I would’ve been far by now. Well, I have said this so many times with my Spanish lessons. If I had started in January and committed just 30 minutes a day, I would be somewhere by now. But there is no point looking at what could’ve been. I can’t go back in time and start my Spanish lessons. The reality is that, even if I could go back in time, it’s possible that the outcome would be the same. Which is why, the wiser thing to do is start practising my Spanish now. If learn from my mistake and start putting in the effort now, I could be looking back a few months from now and commending my efforts.
3. Goals destroyed by laziness.
The reason why I was inspired to write this blog post, is because I was reflecting on all the goals and ideas that I have for this year. I have been working on a few things already this year like my fitness, learning a new language, and starting a new business. It dawned on me that I was not putting half the effort I should be on these things. I have been doing it all half heartily, I only turn up for myself when I feel like it, or when I have a sudden 3 a.m. rush of motivation to change my life.
The truth is that it boils down to a lot of things, but laziness being the main issue. When I look at how I manage my time, the biggest disappointment for me is that, there is space for me to do 30 minutes of Spanish practice everyday without fail. However, that time for me, is often wasted by thinking of the task, social media, and procrastination. I know that schedules differ from person to person, so in no way do I think that this relates to all of you. But I know that, some of you reading this, look at your schedule and think, actually I could be doing better.
The resolve
Upon honest and brutal reflection. I decided that I cannot keep postponing the things that I love. So I have challenged myself that starting from this month, I need to start being consistent with my goals, or else they will just never be done.
If I can think, I can do it, well at least try..
How to be Consistent with Goals
1. Time management
If you are going to commit yourself to achieving your goals. It is important that you actually make time for them. I understand that some people have more hectic schedules than others, so this can be challenging task. But, the key is finding the time for the things that you want to achieve. You need to do identify the times during the day that you are most ‘free’. Some people make time for their extra activities in the mornings, and some find time in the evening. You know your schedule more than anyone else. So, if it is important to you, you will make time for it.
2. Make a big task small
To say that I am learning Spanish is a highly ambitious thing. Firstly, I don’t know anyone who speaks the language besides my Spanish tutor and Netflix shows. Secondly, I don’t live in a Spanish speaking country, which makes it that much harder. Is it impossible, to learn a new language? No. But is it a big task that I have ahead of me? Yes
Which brings me to this point, to be more consistent with your goals. You have to break them down to smaller achievable tasks. I can’t learn a whole new language within a day. I can’t learn everything in one day, and then never do it again and expect to know it.
But what I can do, is break down a specific part of the it, and learn it well, everyday for 30 minutes. At the moment, my tutor is teaching me reflexive verbs, so what I have to do is learn what I’ve been taught everyday for 30 minutes until my next lesson. That is how we build habits over time. You take a big big task and make it small, then do it as often as you can. My friend who is a musician, said what helped him learn to play the guitar was practicing everyday, rather than only practicing once a week for hours. Build consistency by finding time for the things you love, everyday.
O’L Final thoughts
To be achieve your goals you need to make time for them… everyday. Well, if not everyday, is it fair to say at least 80% of the time. Consistency is key of course. But how you approach those goals is essential. How you make the seemingly impossible, possible is what makes the difference and keeps you going. Just remember to start now. This blog post was your sign to start now, today.
