As we approach the final two months of the year, I want each and every one of us to finish the year out strong. No matter where you are at this moment lets vow to each other to make the most of these final two months. The final stretch brings more commitments, social gathering, and holidays it is easy to get off track.
My goal for us is that we set the tone early for next year. When should we start? How about NOW!
I am a firm believer in planning and writing things out; whether it be my goals, a to do list or a shopping list. Why? The act of writing something down ensures that I am less likely to forget, and more likely to stick to the script.
Let’s take a moment and write down 3 things that we would like to: add, subtract, start, finish in the next two months?
Go ahead. Think about it and write them down. Now, store them somewhere you can often reference a mirror, wallet, taped to your deodorant…you get the idea.
Here’s a tip that will help you succeed with your goals:
Consistency > Intensity.
Consistency – steady, stable
Intensity – quality of being extreme
For whatever it is you have written down, I guarantee you have a greater chance of achievement if you are consistent. If you can apply it every day, or even multiple times a day the power of consistency will compound.
But why consistency over intensity?
Let’s start with an example of weight training since I am a performance coach: If my goal was to increase my athlete’s bench press over the course of 6 weeks, how would I achieve this? Train bench press and a handful of other variations/auxiliaries consistently, over the course of six weeks. I would not train bench press at very high intensities, being that at high intensities (daily), the ability to train for a handful of days would deplete.
What if I wanted to save 10,000 dollars over the course of a year? Would I try and save $834 per month or put away $5,000 dollars every six months? If it were me, I would take the consistent approach. Saving $834/month has a better chance of happening especially, once you make it a habit. Before you know it, that $834 a month seems irrelevant, because you have become so accustomed to putting the money away. We all know life throws us curveballs. Remaining consistent gives us the best chance to not strike out.
Another example that has become very relevant during these past few months for me is running. I have a good crew of friends who have signed up for the Philadelphia 8K, ½ & Full Marathon on November 19th & 20th. The majority of my friends signed up having never ran more than 5 miles in their life. Over the course of the past few months, I have been working with a handful of them, putting together a running progression to get them to that finish line. Like the two approaches above, it’s all about consistency. Week to week the mileage has increased. There have been some really good weeks and then other where some struggled. As we approach race day the trend has been very consistent…..”I just ran my best mile times”…….”I was able to finish 9 miles pretty easy today”…..This wasn’t a magic pill or formula; this was a commitment to consistency. At the end of the day consistency has always outlasted intensity and I don’t see that changing anytime soon.
A final thought that comes to mind is the New Years resolutions. A popular one that has popped up these past few years is 75 hard. I am not hating on the challenge; I am sure it has made a lot of great change for some individuals. With that being said I know a few people that have completed the challenge BUT I know A LOT more who didn’t stand a chance. Why is that? Because the intensity is so high. You want a person to commit to doing 6 things a day for 75 days? What if we cut the list in half? I truly believe when the intensity is too high, people can’t stay committed. So, why not decrease the intensity and focus on the consistency?
If you feel comfortable, please share with me some of the things you are going to consistently do over the next few months finish this year strong and set the tone for 2023.
As always, I appreciate your support!
With strength,
Colin Masterson, MBA
For more follow along @CM1_Performance
Awesome post. Really enjoyed reading!!!