Consistency
Consistency, Not Intensity. Great Men are Consistent in the Small Things.
Great men are consistent. It is their consistency, rather than intensity, which enables their daily success and future growth. Much of life is about doing the small things well every day. No matter what you try to accomplish in life, consistency in small daily tasks is the key.
The above image shows four men who have mastered balance, strength, and trust in order to do a cool skill of a quadruple human push-up stack. Impressive so say the least. What is not immediately apparent is that each man does a daily and weekly routine of simple athletic stretching and calisthenics, push-ups, and core work to develop the strength and balance needed. Further, we do not see the group’s practice, patience, friendship, and communication required to develop the trust required in each other. Each man has a consistent routine that helped prepare him for this impressive skill, and once achieved, helps maintain his ability. Everything shown in the image is built around small daily routines.
The principles behind this impressive skill, can be applied to every aspect of life (personal, professional, athletic, intellectual, and spiritual) a firm foundation is built through small consistent daily tasks.
The hardest thing about consistency is slowing down, taking the time, and then starting and learning to enjoy the repetition! Building the small habits needed requires an understanding of the crucial importance of these behaviors. Mastering the small muscle movements, learning the tiny patterns, and routinely doing the foundational behaviors, builds a long-term foundation from which to grow and expand. On top of this, it is a good reminder that skilled masters perform their “art” with ease and precision since they have mastered their small daily routines and yet, they too still do their routines even as a master. How easy we forget (or ignore) that “masters” too needed to master consistency in their routines as they grew and developed.
In any field, first you must identify the basics and form a consistent routine. High intensity, going fast, and spending lots of intense time, do not replace repetition in the small daily routines. Increased speed and intensity will naturally come, but only after the good repetitive rhythms have been established. When men do the small things well, they are training and teaching their muscles, emotions, intellect, and attitudes to all get aligned. Be great in the small things of life every day.
IRONWORKS, Men’s Grooming & Supply Co.is BUILDING GREAT MEN.