Consistency & Success

1 June 2019

I go to my local swimming pool typically 4 days a week & one of the greatest lessons I have learned from swimming is there are three simple things you need for success.

Focus: You cannot be good at everything and it is hard to be great at more than one thing, so pick the one thing you are going to become great at & focus on it. (Note however even after 30 years, I am still improving!)

Consistency: Focus is useless if you are only focused every now & then. It is showing up time after time which makes the difference.

Patience: If you are focused & consistent, then let time work for you. Results will come when they come. Focus on the system, not the goal

So often one thinks we need more to be successful. More outside funding for our start up. More software programs or productivity tools to handle our to-do list. More business contacts, a bigger network. More clothes or cars or credit cards.

But maybe what we really need is less. Maybe what we really need are fewer distractions & more focus. Maybe what we really need are a few carefully chosen constraints to narrow our energy to what really matters rather than compiling a bunch of resources which pull us away from what we actually need to do.

Many get so obsessed on the goal we forget it is the system which matters. Some people, including many leaders get so distracted with the outcome they overlook the repetitions required to get there. They become so focused on the short-term results they forget to build the long term habits which make the real difference.

It is very possible eliminating distractions, not accumulating resources is the best way to maximize your potential. What is the minimum you need to succeed?

Kenn Butler