“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” — Aristotle
Consistency in our personal leadership isn’t just a habit; it’s THE cornerstone for a fulfilling life. Imagine your life as a grand symphony, where each day’s actions compose up the melody. Consistency provides the rhythm. The steady beat that guides each note into harmony. I stand firm when I say that the hardest person to lead is yourself. You read that correctly. It is actually easier to lead, direct, inspire, and motivate others than it is yourself. You might be able to “fake it until you make it” for the short term, but if you are not filling your own cup, eventually you’ll run out of influence to pour out.
As I write this blog, I can’t help but feel a twinge of irony. Here I am humbly said, an influential leader in my field, tasked with guiding and inspiring others not just in my organization, but hundreds of thousands that I connect with all over North America, yet there was a point where I found myself grappling with a persistent sense of inadequacy – the infamous “imposter syndrome”. It was a paradox, really. On the outside, I would exude confidence and competence to my team. I had climbed the ranks, earned my stripes, and garnered respect from my team members and fellow leaders. But on the inside, there was this nagging voice telling me that I didn’t deserve any of it, I felt like I was just one misstep away from being exposed as a fraud leader. It was about five years into Atlas’s journey. We had around 40 team members at that time. I was running out of oxygen. I’d wake up when the house was all still sleeping, fly out the door, get to the office a few minutes before go time and be reactive all day as I’d constantly put fires out. I could meet clients and sell work all day. I’d put on a happy face for my team so they felt like everything was hunky-dory. But the truth was on the inside I felt empty. I’d get back home when the kids were already sleeping. On weekends, doing stuff as a family would energize me, only to dread going to sleep Sunday night because I knew the reality that was lurking Monday morning. The truth lied in the fact that I was not investing enough (if any at all) into myself.
A friend of mine who I incredibly look up to as a leader used to email me around 5am each morning. I remember asking him “how do you have so much energy so early?”. And when I’d spend time with him, he was always calm. And from my perception, he was always in control of his day. I remember thinking to myself, THAT…. That was the life and leadership I wanted for myself. And my journey with personal growth eventually began. It changed my life so much, I could NOT be more passionate about it today. I don’t even have to worry about consistency, or calling personal growth a habit anymore. It’s just part of my day, what I do, and who I am! I am in control of ME, my time, and my actions.
Here are three small (but big) examples of ways to apply consistency to your personal growth and development.
Get In The Habit of a Morning Routine: Your morning routine sets the tone for the entire day. It’s your chance to align your thoughts, and set intentions for the day. Whether it’s prayer, meditation, exercise, journaling, blogging or simply enjoying a quiet cup of coffee, this time is absolutely sacred. It calms your mind, body, and spirit, preparing you to lead with clarity and purpose. When you start off your day with a win (not snoozing the alarm clock even once), this sets the tone that you are in charge of your life and destiny. A little bonus tip: A successful morning starts with a good habit of a successful evening. Everything from setting the timer on the coffee maker, having your reading material sat next to your favorite quiet seating spot, to having your favorite work out clothes ready to go. I’ll even go as far as to set my airpods, my truck keys, and my water bottle on the counter so I know EXACTLY where they are for me in the morning!
Plan Your Days: I don’t mean a plan as in “It’s a work day, and I’m heading home at 5pm”. I’m talking about planning each quadrant out as to what you do in each timeboxed part of your day. Planning allows you to prioritize your tasks, allocate resources wisely, and navigate challenges gracefully. By proactively shaping your day, you exert control over your narrative, rather than merely reacting to it. During those “imposter syndrome” times I spoke about earlier, my lunch appointments would be booked out weeks in advance. I was consistent on using my calendar, so I’d block out an hour for lunch each day. I noticed a trend that most of my lunch meetings were taking sometimes up to 2 hours! Especially if it was a Team Member I wanted to help grow, or a fellow leader that wanted to grow in his leadership. An hour just wasn’t enough. If an average work day is between 8-10 hours, I was giving 20-25% of my day JUST to “eating lunch”! I decided to take my lunch meetings down to just (3) days per week. I couldn’t believe how much more in control of my week I felt. As time went on, I decided to take this down to just (1) day per week. I enjoyed the extra time during the summit of my day so much that I made the call to action that I just wasn’t going to go out to lunch anymore! I learned that saying NO was much harder than saying YES. As a recovering people pleaser, this was a tough move for me. BUT, I can get way more done (and actually be of MORE value to more people) by saying NO to time wasting things. Lastly, I want to point out the fact that I’m not just a straight up jerk and never go out to lunch. I actually keep time allotted in the calendar for “PRIORITY” lunch meetings. Or to catch up with a friend. But truthfully, I’m so intentional with planning my days out, I don’t have many “emergency” lunch meetings anymore! And if a buddy wants to grab a burger and a cold one to catch up, I don’t even have to think about which days I’m available, because they are the SAME allotted days each and every week. If you don’t plan your days, a leader like myself who is VERY intentional with planning my days out, will plan them for you!
Make Growth Part of Your Daily Routine(not just set goals): We always hear about the importance of setting goals. While long-term goals provide direction and vision, being consistent with daily growth into our daily routines through short-term goals can be a game-changer. Short-term goals offer the satisfaction of quick wins. And when we are winning at anything, it always feels good. Even just getting out of bed when we say we will kicks our day off with a win! Achieving wins boosts motivation and reinforces the belief that progress is possible. So even when we are dealing with an adversity, if we learn something from it(which is considered growth), we can come out of it feeling like a win. Setting short-term goals for the day, week, or month forces you to prioritize and focus on what truly matters. By breaking down larger objectives into manageable chunks, you gain clarity on the steps needed to move forward. This prevents overwhelm and allows you to channel your energy more effectively. Our life and leadership is unpredictable, and circumstances can change rapidly. By being consistent with daily growth, we become more flexible, and don’t feel overwhelmed when we have to adjust our plans as needed. Daily growth is synonymous with continuous learning. When you commit to achieving short term goals, you actively seek opportunities to acquire new knowledge and skills.
Remember this my amigos… Consistency in these areas isn’t just about checking off boxes. It’s about cultivating a way of being that aligns with your values and aspirations. When you lead yourself consistently, you model integrity, discipline, and resilience to those around you, especially your family and children. By nurturing and pouring into yourself, planning intentionally, and cherishing moments with loved ones, and remaining calm in the wake of adversity, you create a symphony of purpose and joy. You become the maestro of your life’s orchestra, conducting each day with grace and intentionality. And in doing so, you inspire others to find their rhythm and join in the harmony of authentic leadership and meaningful living.
Research suggests that it takes approximately 21 days to form a new habit. I truly think it takes much longer, and that is why you cannot put a day or date on it. Start today, and consistently repeat small actions over time, and instill positive habits that contribute to your overall development. I can promise you wholeheartedly, you won’t regret the leader you’ll become!