Do The Boring Stuff

Happy Friday Friends,

Humans are easily distracted by shiny things. 

I’m not only talking about material possessions like the new Nike you bought or the latest iPhone you “had to have”. I am talking about anything we try and do in life, we find it difficult to just keep going. 

Diets, workout programs, studying, courses, the list is endless. We chop and change and want to move to the new thing. We think the grass must be greener on the other side. The fact is though that we often don’t reach the destination we’re aiming for because we don’t have staying power. We don’t want to do the boring work consistently. We’re more consistent with finding the new shortcut than putting in the hard yards.

I recently discussed starting a podcast with some friends. One response was, “One thing no one needs is another podcast.” To which they all agreed. I couldn’t even argue because I sort of agreed. Open your favourite podcast app and type in any keyword and you’ll see more shows than you can listen to in a lifetime. But, actually, click on any of those shows and you’ll notice most only have a handful of podcasts and most haven’t posted a new one in over 12 months. So I did some research.

99% of people who start a podcast don’t carry on past 10 episodes. If you end up posting 20 podcasts you’ll be in the top 1% of podcast creators. Just 20!!

A recent addition to my favourites list is The Moden Wisdom podcast. Chris Williams has 1.2 million subscribers. Wow! I looked a little deeper into his stats. Chris posted his first podcast (on this channel) 5 years ago. He has posted around 350 podcasts since then. And, that excludes the short snippets he takes from each long-form show that he shares on other socials.

It took Chris 3 years to hit 200k subscribers. 70%+ of his subscribers have come in the past 18-24 months. Consistency!

Consistency doesn’t necessarily mean you will be successful but inconsistency will most certainly guarantee you won’t be.

The Myth of Overnight SuccessPeople often marvel at stories of "overnight successes" but what's hardly acknowledged is the long grind that preceded it. The spotlight is only shone on success once it’s been achieved. Therefore because we haven’t previously heard of that person or company, we default to thinking that success only recently happened. 

Media's fixation on the peak of an individual's achievement overshadows the steep climb it took to get there. Every success story is built on a foundation of mundane, consistent actions that eventually compound into something extraordinary.

The Consistency ParadoxWe're creatures of paradox, craving stability yet yearning for new experiences. It’s strange because humans in general are creatures of habit and so much of our day-to-day lives is repetition. There seems to be a psychological conflict between our love for routine and our desire for novelty. We tend to think of these traits as mutually exclusive, when in fact they can coexist. There can be a world where we seek new opportunities but we must also maintain some consistency if we want growth.

Form HabitsIf there is something you want to achieve the best way to get there is to turn the small things into habits. When we create habits they become part of our lives then we can consistently do them without thinking.

We don’t want cavities so we brush and floss twice per day. You don’t have to set a reminder, you just do it. Then, over time you avoid cavities by simply completing small habits.

The 1% Improvement RuleThe concept of improving 1% every day sounds simple enough but is deceptive in its complexity. You may have heard this phrase before, it is one of my core values which I’ve spoken about in previous posts. This is the perfect mindset for consistency - you’re not focusing on a big goal in the distance. You’re making small, consistent improvements every day that will add up over time and get you to your goal.

The Boredom of Consistency: A Necessary EvilPeople often abandon their endeavours because they find the consistent pursuit dull or monotonous. The boring stuff is not just an inevitable but necessary aspect of the journey. The fact is that the boring work is the work you’ll be doing 90% of the time. It’s the same warmup routine you do before your workout. It’s the same reps and weights you’re lifting every arm day. It’s the daily standups, weekly team meetings and checklist of items you do on a consistent basis to get your work done. The mundane serves as a filter, weeding out those who are not truly committed and is therefore something to be embraced rather than avoided.

The Underestimated Creative ForceContrary to popular belief, creativity isn't just about sporadic bursts of genius; it’s a grind. Even if it appears uncreative, a consistent routine actually creates a fertile ground for innovation. We need to push through the blocks and get the average work done so we can then be inspired for creativity and greatness. There are days when I can’t think of anything to write but I know I have to sit down and write. The sooner I get through the crappy days, the sooner I’ll have something great flowing onto the page. 

Consistency can serve as the framework within which creativity thrives, as it allows for deep work and sustained focus—elements crucial for groundbreaking ideas.

Consistency > IntensityWe know this one best of all. You decide you’re going to start running. So you go out and you buy a shiny new pair of running shoes. You buy a fancy watch to track your runs and plan your routes. You’ve been hyping yourself up for the past few weeks. And…BOOM - You’re off with a bang!

Then, 2 weeks later it’s a little cloudy or you didn’t sleep so well and you decide to skip that day. Then, you’re making more excuses and skipping more days. Intensity comes in waves and can easily be affected by external factors.Intensity tells a great story but consistency delivers results over time.

In the grand canvas of life, it's not the bold strokes but the repeated fine lines that give the artwork its form and substance. Consistency might not make for an exhilarating headline, but it's the unsung hero in the narrative of our personal and professional lives. As you step into your next endeavour, big or small, let’s stop seeking the shortcuts and start valuing the scenic routes. These routes are the pathways where real transformation happens, stroke by consistent stroke.

Peace, love and muscles.

Jarren

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