What Is Your Best Quality?

Do you ever wonder what makes people exceptional? Like, have you ever wondered why someone could be so incredible at this one thing they do? Is it their passion? Is it their drive? What about their humour, or eagerness that gives them a seemingly incredible advantage over others?

Then, I ponder the qualities others may see in myself and think is there a reason why others may rely or look to me for guidance, knowledge or just a person to talk to. Of all the attributes I reflect on that I may possess, I always come to the same key attribute which I believe has gotten me to where I am today: consistency.

I don't believe I am talented naturally in anything I do and that talent is actually a facade, that "talent" is a combination of other real tangible qualities that come together in harmony to create wonder.

So, here is why I believe that consistency¹ is a top attribute to have and why it gives you so many other qualities.

Reasons To Be Consistent

1. Consistency creates fundamental skill

If you have ever wondered how someone could be so good at something, such as playing a piano, drawing etc. they have likely been doing that thing for years before you ever saw them doing it. They were consistent at sticking to that hobby, job or action until continued repetitive action bore fundamental skill that it's now muscle memory.

So when it comes to something you want to get better at it, stick at it and for me, little and often is far superior than a lot and infrequent. Now this may seem obvious to you, but if you aren't consistent at doing something, why aren't you and what excuses are you making?

2. Consistency leads to reliability

If you are consistent, it tends to lead to reliability. Reliability is a skill all of its own. To be on time for work, to be present when needed. Consistency nails down your routine which helps in so many ways in a daily modern life.

3. Consistency equals trustworthiness

A person who is consistent can be trusted. Someone who is consistent can be trusted to always be there in times of need, to take on a burden others who lack consistency may not ever be approached to do.

To be trusted, is to be respected by another human being, something earned, not given by default.

4. Consistency pushes you to expertise

If you have gotten to a point where something is muscle memory, how far can you now push yourself? You are far more equipped than someone else to take on harder activites in your field. Recognise that those who can do seemingly insurmountable tasks at ease aren't in fact gods, but more than likely have put in thousands more hours than what you have.

So keep going.

5. Consistency breeds focus

When you are consistent at something, you are immersed in it. It becomes you and you become it. There isn't a distraction, no checking your phone every 10 minutes as you are taken by what you are doing and improving, bit by bit by bit each day.

When you are focused on something, time slips away and you are learning without even realising it. There is no time for the lazy things in life that give you no benefit. I guess I could say in my teen years, I was consistently lazy. What did I have to show for it? Nada.

6. Consistency gives you purpose

I guess purpose can mean many things to many people, but for me, being consistent at a multitude of things have given me great purpose in my life. To be a consistent person to those closest to me, to be consistent at improving at work, to be consistent at my daily routine, all gives me fulfillment that I am doing exactly what I need to do with my short time on this plane of existence.

To Summerise

So, to conclude, to be consistent for me, is to succeed. It's slow, a grind, can sometimes fail, but ultimately rewarding when you look back at far you have come and realise you were on an adventure the entire time. Doing something over and over again is not the definition of insanity, as long as you are iterating and trying to improve continually.