Competitors set the example in what it means to be consistent because, without that one thing, success is unattainable.
“I've found that consistency has always been the major setback in my being able to successfully reach my goal within an ideal amount of time - the more inconsistent I was, the longer it would take for me to get that checkmark on my task list." - Eric Thomas
"ET" is right - the more inconsistent I am with my work, the longer it takes me to get the important things done. The better my focus on what matters most, the faster I seem to move.
We've spent the last two weeks discussing key changes that you and I must make in order to develop stronger consistency - and better results in our pursuits.
- Change in Focus
- Change in Environment
- Change in Accountability
Let's wrap up this series by talking about the swords - or butter knives - we surround ourselves with.
Change in Accountability
"You are the average of the five people you spend the most time." - Jim Rohn
You can determine someone's chances of success by carefully examining who they hang out.
- Spend all their time with people who have no ambition, no drive, and simply want to live within their comfort zone? Little chances you'll be the lone wolf to win.
- Spend all of your time with people who have done more than you have, aren't afraid to fail in the pursuit of trying, and constantly abandon their comfort zone? You will without a doubt get better by investing time with them.
We tend to see ourselves differently - as if we are the one exception who can hang out with people who don't have the same level of drive and not be impacted by it.
But Jim Rohn's quote - and the law of averages - dictates that those will drag you down.
Eventually, those relationships get to a breaking point. You either slowly let the relationship fade, most likely hearing the common excuses that the lazy say...
- What? You're too good for us now that you're going after some goal?
- Oh, Ms BIG TIME just thinks she's better than us now because she wants to have a side hustle.
- Oh, go ahead. Chase after it. When you fail, don't expect me to be here waiting for you.
They'll tell you anything and everything to break you down - not because you're doing something wrong by investing in your growth or future, but because they're angry at themselves for being too afraid to do the same. It happens. Every day. All over the world.
High achievers can't spend all of their time with lazy "just get by'ers." The high achievers either quit their pursuits and go back to their comfort zone to join their "friends" - or they outgrow the relationship in the pursuit of what's best for their long-term life's story.
And that is 100% ok to do.
Your friends determine your fate. It's an important point I make throughout chapter 6 of my book. We have to be intentional about the type of people we invest the most time with because in order to succeed, we 100% need the type of people who will:
- Encourage us when we fall.
- Challenge us when we fail to meet the standard we've set for our lives (accountability)
- And remind us of who we say we want to become
These three pieces are the biggest to finding the right type of people to hang out with. I'll dive more into how to find these type of people next week if you're starting to think you don't know anyone who can do that for you.
(PS - it's ok if you don't. A lot of us don't have those people, much less 5 of them. But stay with me, next week I'll share how you can start finding them.)
We need the type of people who love us enough to hold us accountable and call us out when we fail to stay the course.
I'm fortunate to have a few friends like that. For those of you who have read the book, you know about my rock-bottom moment and how my best friend challenged me to change. That conversation changed my life's trajectory.
We aren't going to go perfect every day. We will fail. It's a natural part of the "growing & getting better process."
Many times we'll pick ourselves up and keep going.
But there are a few times when we forget why we keep getting back up and we'll considering lying there. We'll debate with ourselves about quitting. We'll even start to walk away, considering the effort not worth it.
This is why we need to have those select few surrounding us, walking through life with us. It's in these moments that true friendships are forged - because it's here they call us out on our bullshit, encourage us of our potential, and point us back in the right direction.
This week, I'd challenge you to genuinely evaluate your friendships of the five people you spend the most time with every week. Do they....
- Only tell you what you want to hear - or love you enough to call you out and tell you what you need to hear sometimes?
- Strive for the same standard of excellence in their relationships, mindset, and life as you do? Or do they settle?
- Care about getting out of their comfort zone, or only taking the easy route?
Evaluate your "five." See if they're the type of people who will sharpen you to be better - or dull you into a butter knife.
If they're the former, congrats, you've got one of the key pieces to building consistency. Ask them to hold you accountable to doing one daily action step for the current goal you're pursuing.
If they're the latter, considering investing less time with them in August so you can begin to connect with other people who might better sharpen, encourage, and equip you to get to where you want to truly go in life.