How to be more consistent

Jul 17, 2024

Do you struggle to be consistent? Find yourself oscillating between the extremes of being intensely productive and completely nonproductive? If so, you’re not alone. Consistency is often cited as one of the primary contributing factors to success, yet it is very thing many people struggle to achieve. The good news is there are science-based strategies you can use to increase personal consistency.

When it comes to inconsistency, one of the major culprits is mood-dependent behavior. This means your performance is contingent on how you feel in the moment. When your mood is good, you’re productive and on it. When your mood takes a dip, you’re inactive and unproductive. You may even believe you’re “completely incapable” of performing, although you actually can but with extra effort. You don’t feel motivated and wait for motivation to arise.

The problem in low mood states is that inertia begets inertia. In other words, the less you do, the less you feel like doing. If you wait to feel motivated, you may never act because motivation often follows the initiation of activity, e.g., you feel motivated to run AFTER you’ve just run a mile, or motivated to write after you’ve written four pages.

One key to breaking the cycle of mood-dependent behavior is found in the behavioral treatment of depression. Rather than give in to the urge to withdraw, patients are encouraged to schedule daily activities with the potential for pleasure or a sense of accomplishment. And, to commit to doing those things whether they feel motivated or not. So, stop sitting around waiting for motivation and commit to doing.

Another major culprit for inconsistency is a fixed mindset. People with this mindset believe their abilities or intelligence are static and that there is no room for improvement. They focus on the immediate results of their efforts which they view in terms of success or failure. This fuels the fear of failure and decreases motivation to persist in the face of difficulty, which is necessary to achieve consistency. If this is true for you, try adopting a growth mindset instead. People with a growth mindset believe their abilities and talents can be increased over time. They assume that there’s a learning curve and focus on gradual improvement in their performance. As a result, they are more motivated to persist in the absence of immediate success and are more consistent in their efforts. To cultivate this mindset, focus on your efforts and detach from the outcomes. Give yourself effort-based praise. Reframe setbacks as learning opportunities.

But ultimately, the key to consistency is to create habits. Because habits are automatic, they require less effort to perform. You don’t need to send instructions to the brain every time you do them because the brain circuits fire automatically.

One way to make a desired behavior a habit is by thinking through each of the steps involved in performing the behavior. This mental rehearsal sets in motion the brain cells that will be used to perform. As result, less mental effort is required when you actually do it. For example, thinking through all the steps of getting up early for a run or for meditation makes it easier to actually do in the morning.

Another way to make desired behaviors habitual is by linking them to to your “linchpin habits.” Linchpin habits are things you’re already doing consistently because you enjoy them and they require little effort, e.g., morning coffee. So, if you’re trying to make gratitude journaling a habit, try doing it after your linchpin habit of morning coffee.

When building habits, it’s important to capitalize on the brain and body’s natural rhythms. The first eight hours after waking is when you’re most alert and the body’s chemicals that enhance learning, motivation and focus are highest. So, tackle the challenging behaviors that you want to make regular habits during this time period. If you are struggling to exercise or meditate regularly, for example, try doing these things in the morning.

Remember, to some extent, inconsistency is part of human nature. Try some of these science-based tips, and you just may find your performance gradually becomes more consistent.

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