What if I told you that asking yourself, “How do I become more consistent?” is NOT the right question! While this question can help and may even provide some impactful answers, it will not address the root cause of your inconsistency.

The real question is how do we develop intrinsic motivation to stay consistent? You may think I’m splitting hairs but getting clear on the type of consistency you need to develop is the key.

There is a difference between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. When you’re looking to become consistent you need to understand the key is to develop intrinsic motivation to keep you consistent.

Consistency is the manifestation or the outcome of well developed intrinsic motivation.

What is intrinsic motivation vs extrinsic motivation?

Intrinsic motivation is where you are internally motivated by your desires, goals, passions, and visions. Extrinsic motivation is where you are motivated by an external motivator.

An example of extrinsic motivation is you slow down when you see a cop to prevent yourself from getting a ticket. You’re motivated by outside forces. The second you pass the cop and get out of sight, you increase speed. Do you see how extrinsic motivation only gets you over the humph? 

Whereas intrinsic motivation is when you do something because it’s important to you. Let’s say you started jogging regularly simply because you find joy in the feeling of being outdoors and the rhythmic movement of running. You are encouraged to continue to do it because of your internal feelings. 

The biggest difference is intrinsic motivation results in internal fulfillment and satisfaction of the activity and external motivation results in external pressure or rewards.

Let’s bring intrinsic motivation back down to the example of becoming consistent.

The intrinsic motivation for you would be being your best self which requires you to stay consistent, in the ideal mindset, and discipline in that pursuit. Then making sure that consistency never falls past 100%. As high performers we are always shooting for 101%, 102% and ultimately improving by 1% more each day.

What you have to do – and it’s a mental choice – you make up your mind and tell yourself that staying consistent at peak level is a cause worth dying for. Then it comes down to resilience and self-discipline.

It’s simple. But that simplicity can be hard for a lot of people. There are a lot of mental layers a person sometimes has to work through before obtaining this simplicity. 

Unfortunately or fortunately, life is simpler than many people realize. Many people, especially average minded individuals, overcomplicate things because that way they can live in denial staying in their comfort zone. It’s easy to make excuses for our incompetency.

What about those times where you don’t feel or want to do it? What do you do?

Here are 6 Tips to Help You Become Consistent: 

1). Remember who you’re working for! Paul reminds us in Colossians 3:23 that “”Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.”

You do what you don’t want to do for God. It’s being a good steward. This is a blessing. It’s an honor to work for the Lord. 

2). You Make Up Your Mind and Do it! It’s a light switch. Count down from three and make yourself do it.

Remember, if you start the mentality of I’m going to push it off-like thinking, then now you’re opening up Pandora’s box to continue pushing it off right? Plus you’re most likely not being a good steward of your time. 

3). Think Solution-Focused Only!

You intentionally work to develop a solution focused way of thinking or mindset. This takes practice, so may as well start now.

You are going to fall off the horse. You’re going to get off target. But then the question becomes, how do I get back on the horse? How do I course correct? If missiles are programmed to course correct then we can program our minds to do the same thing, especially with the help of the Holy Spirit.

You ask yourself, how can I get back on that horse 1 second faster?

4). Hold Yourself Accountable!

 Only you can do that. That’s self-discipline and integrity. Again, it takes practice so start small! 

5). Lift Your Eyes Higher!

Please be mindful and do not fall for the worldly intrinsic motivators of fun and pleasure. Be a good steward – a disciple of Christ! World class thinkers understand real fun and pleasure come through self-discipline. They’re willing to sacrifice a tremendous amount to achieve being their best self. Think about how much Jesus sacrificed.

That’s one of the biggest mindsets that separates an average minded person from the world class thinker — average people are motivated by fun and pleasure.

6). You have realized that every situation “is.” 

It’s not good vs. bad. Pleasurable vs unpleasurable. It just is. The meaning we ascribe to things in our minds is so powerful. The truth is time is going to pass regardless, so may as well learn how to enjoy every second of life. Even James tells us to CHOOSE joy when you face a trial (James 1:2-4). 

Paul challenges us with this when he says learn how to be content in all situations. You are to make the best out of every situation.

The question then becomes are you going to work with the time you have been given or against it? One is being a good steward of the resource of time and one is not. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be a fool. 

To recap, you have to learn how to develop intrinsic motivation. That means you need to learn how to love learning, challenges, intentionally growing and being your best. This has to become your nonnegotiable. When you can’t do it for yourself choose to do it for God. Stay focused on today. Don’t let the worries or concerns of tomorrow steal your bandwidth away from today.