Welcome to another edition of Weekend Wisdom, a weekly publication where I bring wise and inspiring words from people I admire. My goal with this is to share ideas and thoughts that influence my actions as a person and also my writing.
I don't dare to imagine I am anywhere close to the level of enlightenment that most of the people I will feature in this series have. Still, as a lifelong learner, I aim to get as close as possible and, maybe, contribute a little to your journey in the process.
James Clear on consistency
Today, I want to discuss a very inspiring quote by one of my favourite authors of modern days, James Clear. Here it is:
"In theory, consistency is about being disciplined, determined, and unwavering.
In practice, consistency is about being adaptable. Don't have much time? Scale it down. Don't have much energy? Do the easy version. Find different ways to show up depending on the circumstances. Let your habits change shape to meet the demands of the day.
Adaptability is the way of consistency."
This quote really hit me because it provides an alternative - and exciting - way to think about consistency.
As a disciplined person, I always thought consistency was all about discipline. If you set out to do something, plan and prioritize accordingly and get it done.
That's a compelling concept, and I try to apply it as best I can. What I like about James Clear's view on discipline is that it's not opposed to my belief but complementary.
No matter how airtight our plans are or how strong our drive is, life always manages to get in the way and change everything, and that's when our ability to adapt to new circumstances and find a way forward, even if it means partially compromising our initial plans and goals proves to be instrumental in achieving said goals.
Ultimately, doing 50% or even 30% of what was initially planned is still better than doing nothing at all.
I see so many people using all sorts of mishaps as an excuse to abort their plans and let go of their goals. That's why it's relatively easy to be above average in today's society. If you put even a small amount of effort but do so consistently, you are automatically ahead of 90% of people in whatever you are trying to accomplish.
Don't get me wrong, I know sometimes catastrophic events may occur and really turn someone's life upside down, but, honestly, how often does that happen?
In most cases, we are our own worst enemy, and we are defeated by ourselves.
Final thoughts
Discipline is a crucial component for consistency but the ability to adapt is just as important, if not more.
By changing and adapting our habits to whatever life throws at us, we can make sure to keep moving forward even if we need to slow down for a bit or even take one step back to take two steps forward.
The best plan is useless without proper execution, so don't throw away realistic, slower progress for an ideal goal that only exists in your head.