👑Consistency is King
Sunday Scoop #24 - If you want to be great, consistency, in almost every domain, is a super power. Talent, mentors, timing can all factor into success but consistency is the pre-requisite.
Hey friends,
I’ve been in full writing mode for the past 2 weeks. Under normal circumstances, I wouldn’t mind it in the slightest. In fact, it has been quite an enjoyable process albeit the pressure. Making a hot cup of Japanese Tea and having some Bruno Major playing in the background just makes it a much more delightful process.
At any rate, after all that writing and (of course) the pressing deadlines, I was considering skipping the newsletter last week because I was tired and it was already the evening but I still didn't have a single clue on an appropriate newsletter topic.
Naturally, the Instant Gratification Monkey in me was up to no good. It was tempting me to let it take control, coaxing me into the path of least resistance.
"Well, I imagine people would barely notice that you’ve missed one newsletter."
"Do people genuinely care about this random spiel that you're preaching weekly?"
"Does it even bring value to anyone? Or is it just cliché common sense, wrapped in a personal story?"
Thankfully, with the fear of a bruised ego hanging over my head, I manage to keep the monkey at bay and grab hold of the steering wheel.
💭 Thoughts
I've made a commitment to myself (and to you): Every Sunday, I'll send out an email newsletter that brought value to my life and hopefully, would bring some to yours too.
By making this commitment, I'm effectively removing the optionality of writing a weekly newsletter. It is not an option to procrastinate. It is Sunday. It is time to write a newsletter. No matter what it takes.
Hence, I 'cheated' a little and ctrl+c, ctrl+v an entire fable from the Internet. I've always found it meaningful and it has given me some much-needed clarity throughout the years. Surprisingly, that issue performed well and I even had a few people texting me, telling me that it was a short fable but it put things into perspective for them.
Even with this post, I'm composing it in my phone's default Notes app while resting in between workout sets at the gym. It’s by no means a literary masterpiece, but I’ve shown up and written something that I hope will have value to at least one person. That’s a win in my book. Far better to do that than to skip it because ‘it’s not good enough’.
Similarly, in your studies or workouts or any habits that you're trying to form, try to recognize that whenever thoughts along the lines of "I’ll take a break today so that I can work doubly hard tomorrow" is a trap. Recognize that those thoughts are the persuasion of the Instant Gratification Monkey at work. The key is to put in the work on everyday that ends with a 'y'.
With that said, I hope my experience with consistency, which I find incredibly amusing and am hence sharing with you today adds value to your life in some shape, way, or form.
Have a great week ahead and see you in the next issue of Sunday Scoop!
Jia Shing.
Links
✍ Article - This is a really well put together article by Wait but Why, one of my favorite blogs of all time. It talks about the Instant Gratification Monkey (which is obviously where I stole the idea from), the Rational Decision Maker and the Panic Monster. I'll let the picture do the talking and you can decide for yourself if this article would be something that would interest you.
📺 Video - If you prefer something more engaging, check out this TED talk by Tim Urban, the author of the article I mentioned above. It's essentially the same thing, just in a video format.
💬 Quote - Aristotle has a rather well-known quote that would fit perfectly into the topic that we're talking about today.
🎙 Podcast - Here is an episode about consistency from my favorite podcast, Not Overthinking, hosted by Ali and Taimur Abdaal. The format is less like a podcast and more like a chill out session between the brothers and you're just there listening to their thoughts. 50% insightful, 50% banter.
Challenge
For the rest of this coming week (and forever more), stop telling yourself that you need some form of intrinsic motivation to start.
In fact, remove the optionality. Give your friend/sibling/parent a certain amount of money, say MYR 200.00, and tell them that if you don't get x amount of work done, they can do whatever they want with the money, or donate it to charity.
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