Consistency is good, right?

Consistency is best when coupled with a growth mindset and a willingness to change for the better.

Is consistency always a good thing?

That’s the question I have been thinking about since starting my writing journey a few months ago. Everywhere I turn, I hear the mantra, “Stay consistent.”

But is consistency always a good thing?

Why I started questioning

I started to question this issue of consistency primarily because of my activity on Twitter. All right, I know some of you will be doing an eye roll at the mention of Twitter. But hear me out.

Before starting on Twitter in March, I had no social media presence. I was never even on Facebook. My main aim for starting on Twitter was to use it as a platform to promote my writing on Medium. Twitter is very different from Medium but that’s for another discussion.

So, when I initially started on Twitter, I would post a tweet twice per day. A few people would like the tweets but there was no real engagement with them. But I remained consistent with my tweets and their format, and I kept showing up.

Unfortunately, despite my consistent efforts, the response was lukewarm at best. Truth be told, I kept on doing what I was doing because I did not know what else to do.

Gradually I began to realize that if I wanted a different outcome, I would have to start doing things differently or I could quit.

Since I am not in the business of quitting what I start, I spent some time reflecting on what seemed to work for others and what had slightly worked for me.

I started to experiment, and I slowly started to pivot.

I tried out different formats, different topics, and different writing styles. With the new pivot came what I thought: more engagement with some of the tweets.

Also, by pivoting, I was getting more data. I was getting data on who my audience was and what resonated with them.

Lesson learned

This taught me a valuable lesson:

Consistency alone is not enough.It’s all about what we choose to be consistent in.

The different sides of consistency

There’s no denying that consistency is a commendable trait when it comes to doing the ‘right’ things. Writing every day, engaging in daily exercise, and treating others with kindness and respect are all commendable examples of consistency. These actions contribute to our well-being and the well-being of those around us.

But what if you are consistent in doing the wrong things? For example, if you are consistent in eating junk food, being late for appointments, in being rude and disrespectful to others, then consistency could be detrimental to yourself and others.

The value of consistency

But hold on — I’m not dismissing consistency altogether. In fact, it was because I remained consistent with my writing, showing up on Medium and Twitter, that I discovered growth opportunities I had never anticipated.

By embracing consistency, I:

- improved my writing skills

- got into the habit of writing regularly

- engaged with some very special people

- found new ways to process my thoughts and explore new ideas

Therefore, I will be the first to admit that consistency is important for developing and nurturing a successful writing habit, or any other habit for that matter.

Know when to make a change

However, consistently doing the ‘wrong’ things is counterproductive. It’s like stubbornly driving in the wrong direction and expecting to arrive at the right destination.

We must ask ourselves: Does this action support or hinder me? Does it bring me closer to my goals or push me farther away? Does it align with my values or contradict them? Does it produce the results that I want?

If the answer is a “yes,” then, by all means, persist and be consistent.

But if the answer is a “no,” then it’s time to make a change. There is no point in stubbornly clinging to something that isn’t working. Embrace flexibility and learn from any mistakes made.

I must also point out that it is important to assess our consistent actions over ‘some’ timeframe. Achieving success is a gradual process that rarely happens overnight. Nevertheless, it is important to look for indicators that show if you are making progress in the right direction.

For me, my timeframe for the assessment of my activities on Twitter is monthly.

This means that at the end of each month, I check the analytics to see the performance of my tweets. Based on the information from the data, I plan my Twitter strategy for the upcoming month.

Consistency is not a solo act

There is no denying that consistency is very valuable. But when consistency is coupled with a willingness to explore new approaches, flexibility, and a willingness to change, it becomes a powerful tool for continuous growth and success.

So, be consistent but be also willing to try out new ideas and new ways of doing things.