…but I’m always consistent. Consistency and hard work beat talent when talent doesn’t work hard. You’ve heard the story of the tortoise and the hare and all those cliches before, but let the message sink in.

He or she who consistently does the right stuff, for the longest duration, usually reaches their goal.

Staying consistent, though, is where most usually fail.

We’ll use the example of making a lifestyle change, since that’s the focus of my site. Too many people set a goal to “lose 10 pounds” or some such arbitrary number, come roaring out of the gates determined to reach it, but don’t see the results fast enough and quit – falling back into old habits.

Remember, making a lasting change takes time, and can appear never-ending, but the ones who see it through with determination until the end WILL succeed.

Sure, many just get bored with it or “life” gets in the way – your cat needs to be trimmed, you get injured, or your wife leaves you for the personal trainer you two started working with. It’s always something. Life will present obstacles, that I guarantee, but those who put on their work boots and overcome them come out the “winners.” Successful people don’t make excuses.

How do you stay consistent, when your mind isn’t in the right place and you don’t have that drive you did those first couple weeks?

Throw away the word “diet” and make this a lifestyle change. Put blinders on and focus on that attainable goal. You don’t have to be motivated to eat right and train hard every day – you just have to do it 99% of the time day in and day out.

When your alarm went off this morning, did you get up excited to go to work? I’m gonna go out on a limb and say for some, the answer is ‘no,’ but you dragged yourself to the office and gave it your best, because you have to. If you want to make a lifestyle change, you have to commit to it like you would a day job. That doesn’t mean live in the gym, but be consistent with your meal prep, training and rest – one without the other two won’t get you to the promised land.

Eventually life will level out, the motivation will come again, and then you’ll be ready to step it up an extra notch because you’ve been consistent through the down times. 

Keep plugging away. Don’t be discouraged. Your goal isn’t going anywhere, so enjoy the journey. It’s more rewarding that way.