I hope & trust this post finds you all having a great day as a glorious new opportunity begins to dawn on the Texas Gulf Coast!
I came across a quote this week that has rapidly risen as one of my all time favorite quotes. It is profound to me and it inspires me. It holds great truth, I believe. Here it is...
"...the signature of excellence is relentless consistency." - John C. Maxwell
Why, at the beginning of every new year, do gyms require people to sign 30, 60 or 90-day contracts, perhaps a year, to join their gym? Have you ever been to a gym on January 2nd or 3rd? Packed! Absolutely packed! You can't get on certain exercise equipment, there are lines waiting for cardio machines. And then, by February 1st, you can freely move around the gym, do cartwheels between stations if you want...hardly anyone is there!!! :) Why? It's all tied together. We get all fired up around the Holidays, right after we have eaten and drank way more than we should have. We determine in our minds that things are going to change, we are going to get into shape. Gym's know this so they require a long-term commitment. We sign up, pay our money, go like crazy for a few weeks - the really committed might even make a month or two - and then? We quit going. This is how gyms make their money. They don't make their money on people who pay for their memberships and show up. They make their money off of people who pay for their memberships and then don't show up. If everyone who had a membership showed up, none of us would be able to work out! :) And what does this all come down to? Consistency. If we consistently worked out, we would get in shape...simple as that! And yet, a multi-billion dollar industry thrives on our lack of consistency. Let that sink in for a minute!
Now, let's get a little uncomfortable. The workout example is safe, perhaps humorous. What about our marriages? Go ahead, shift in your seat if you must. Are we consistently showing up? Remember when you were dating? You called him or her all the time. You thought about them all the time. You did anything you could do to be with them, to talk to them. You were consistent. And then, once vows were exchanged and life started happening, it got more difficult to be consistent. And then we wonder what has happened to the spark, the love, the marriage. I think most of us want great marriages but what we want and what we get are two separate things. The key is consistency which requires great commitment.
If you have the honor & privilege of having some precious little soul call you Mom or Dad, how are you doing in your consistency there? That's what kids want - in reality, it's what we all want...someone who will love us unconditionally...consistently. I know it is not always the most convenient but are you showing up every day? For what is important to them? Can they count on you, consistently? There are no perfect parents but again, the signature of excellence is relentless consistency. Whether they say they want you there or not. Whether they talk to you or not. Whether they even acknowledge your presence or not. Keep showing up. Be consistent. Be someone they can count on...consistently!
Again, it goes back to what we want and what we are preparing to receive. You see it all the time in all facets of life. Everyone wants to win, to be the champion, to be the top sales person...whatever it is. Who is consistently doing the things they need to do to achieve these things. This is not hard to understand Friends! I will give you this...while it is not hard to understand, it can be very difficult to actually live. Now we are getting into the territory of another tough word, commitment. This is why it is so critically important for us to truly determine what our priorities are. You and I can't be and do everything. As hard as we might try, we are human and eventually we will run out of time and energy. So we must decide what our true priorities are, commit to honoring those priorities and then consistently walk out those commitments. And one other word of caution...honesty. Be honest. You see, a lot of us know the "Sunday School answers" or the "right answers" however we will always walk out what we truly believe. And when there is inconsistency between what we say and what we do - that's called a lack of integrity! - we leave a trail of brokenness behind us. Though the true answer to your priorities might not be what others want to hear, at least you will be walking in integrity by speaking the truth.
A couple of other things are bouncing around in my head that I also want to share with you for you to consider - 1 is a quote and 1 is a scripture.
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit." - Aristotle
"So let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we do not give up." - Galatians 6:9
Whether a quote or a biblical principal, the fact is the same; consistency is the key. And I get it Friends, life is hard. It's hard to get up every day with a recharged battery, ready to roll. This is why I have personally found I absolutely could not do it without God. I can't tell you the number of times I have gotten up without the strength or, honestly, the desire to be the godly man, husband, father, friend or leader that God has called and created me to become. And then, something absolutely beyond comprehension happens. I read my Bible and I pray. And I pray some more. I pray for God to be the Lord of my life. I beg Him to renew my heart, mind & spirit. I surrender my life, my marriage, my family, my friends and my works to Him. And suddenly, I have the faith, wisdom, strength, courage and conviction to be the godly man, husband, father, friend and leader He has called me to be...for that day! And guess what? I have to get up again the next day and do it all over again to have the faith, wisdom, strength, courage and conviction for THAT day. I have to be consistent! :) Y'all see what I did there, right?! :)
Please don't hesitate to contact me if there is ever anything I can do for you or your family. I will always help you any way I can. You can reach me at kevin@whatwillyourinfluencebe.com.
Have a great day, a wonderful weekend and please cherish your precious families!
Kev
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