Estimated Reading Time: 8 mins
Introduction
Starting something new is always exciting.
We make the decision to try something different, full of energy and ready to go.
This is often the case whether it’s a new exercise regime, a new job, or a fresh business idea.
Keeping things on track, however, is where the real test lies.
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Maintaining and building on this new journey is where most people fall prey to defeat.
The realisation that it requires consistent investment, can quickly dampen the initial fire and enthusiasm with which we first began.
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So, what’s the best way to stay on track — especially when you started with a clear outcome in mind?
Our ability to stay consistent is often more reliant on what we should avoid than on the traits we try to adopt, so we’ll start there.
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Preventing Interference — Emotion Never Decides
To remain consistent, it is firstly essential to avoid relying on feelings of motivation.
Making moves because we feel motivated is admirable, but it’s not sustainable in the long-term.
When you first had this idea, feelings of motivation were likely a contributing factor.
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To sustain and build on our efforts, we must not rely solely on such emotions.
It’s virtually impossible for anyone to feel motivated every day.
Why?
Because we’re human.
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Every feeling we experience whether good or bad will always be temporal, because our moods naturally fluctuate according to the patterns of our lives.
We’ll go through changes in our emotions more often than we’d probably like.
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Our feelings are what make us human — they form an essential part of who we are.
However, when it comes to our life choices, it’s expedient that we remain loyal to our decisions.
Doing what we said we’ll do is a test of our integrity and character — both of which are essential to sustain and carry the responsibilities that come with achieved success.
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We must always prioritise our commitment to the work over how we feel — especially at times when we really don’t feel like it.
This reinforces discipline and consistency, supporting our long-term investment in new ventures.
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Preventing Interference — Protecting Pace
Secondly, we must avoid the trap of overreaching.
There’s always a temptation to take on too much, driven by our desire to achieve results as quickly as possible.
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Naturally, we all prefer fast results, which is why certain individuals will resort to unethical or illegal shortcuts that can ultimately lead to unfavourable and counterproductive outcomes.
For those willing to rightfully earn their desired results, but who lack patience, will often place pressure on themselves to do too much in too little time.
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Think of it this way.
Rather than sitting back and letting another year pass you by, you’ve actually made the conscious decision to take action.
Some years from now, if you can continue applying a few realistic disciplines regularly, you will have achieved far more than if you had overwhelmed yourself and given up.
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To see those results in the future, we first need to make it there.
And to make it there, we need to pace ourselves — strategically.
Don’t be like the impatient majority, be the exceptional minority.
Think marathon, not sprint.
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Working slowly and steadily reenforces consistency, as well as the discipline and resilience you’ll need to keep going.
It’s going to take time to reach your targets, so you want to ensure you keep pace throughout the journey whatever that duration might be.
Do not overwhelm yourself by trying to do too much.
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Taking our time helps us avoid burnout, because burnout can leave us incapable of taking any action at all.
It’s equivalent to removing both a coach and their best player at the peak of the season.
Instead, take the time to develop an effective strategy that allows you to tackle specific aspects of your tasks within the time you set each week.
Most importantly, allow flexibility.
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When life happens, we shouldn’t use the onset of unpredictable occurrences as an excuse to cease moving with intention.
We simply adjust and manoeuvre accordingly.
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Realism as Strategy
The strategies you develop don’t need to be mountainous, rather, they should be small seeds of productivity you can slowly build from.
And as mentioned earlier, whether you’re feeling great or not — maintain your movement.
If you have a day when you feel particularly out of sorts, show yourself grace and take a day or even up to a week off, depending on the intensity of what you’re experiencing.
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During breaks, however, while taking the time to rest — plan.
Complete idleness can lead to increased procrastination, which can land us back at square one.
Planning our next steps during downtime keeps us focused, making our efforts to bounce back more realistic.
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Summary
Lastly, there’s something I encourage you to embrace throughout your journey — the struggles.
I once heard a well-known speaker say, “pressure is privilege”.
He said little else, simply repeating that phrase, and at first I wondered what it meant, but over time, its meaning soon became clear.
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The conditions in our lives that make life feel unbearable, can instead serve as the very incentives that compel us to do the work required.
Whether you’re in an unpleasant living situation, working with toxic colleagues, or wondering how you’ll pay the rent or mortgage next month, every difficult experience should fuel our drive to achieve our targets.
“Pressure is privilege”.
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The situations we detest can often be the very things that push us to keep going until change comes.
Your goals and ideas have the potential to transform your life, so every hurdle you encounter, should be used as inspiration to get you there.
What truly feels unbearable in life right now, can become something of the past indefinitely — but it requires you to do the work.
He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread: Proverbs 28:19a
