Consistency

Definition

1) steadfast adherence to the same principles, course, form

2) agreement, harmony, or uniformity among the parts of a complex thing

Something that I've noticed about myself that needs to change. I am an erratic person. I'm not consistent. I'm not consistent in my personality, my emotions, my habits, my work ethic.. It's not good. Being two different people is not only hard to do, it's very taxing. I can't do it and I shouldn't be doing it at all. My inconsistency includes small things like feeling great one day and awful the next, to the two very different sides of myself, to the drastic fluctuation of my level of productivity, depending on the setting.

Example: At school, I'm not a great student. I put in the work, I study, I do my homework just like everybody else. I get decent grades, nothing special; I do what I have to do. At home, exact opposite. There's nothing due so I do nothing. Eat, sleep and video games. I don't do squat. And it's awful. Partly because I'm exhausted when I get home and partly because I'm really good at doing nothing. 

Character should not be swayed by circumstances or situation. Situations will always change, but I should not. My surroundings should not determine or sway the way I act or how I feel. Self-improvement, self-discipline, excellence, integrity - these aren't things you do for one day and then call it a night; it's continuous, ongoing, a part of who you are. To be successful, I must be consistent; to achieve goals, I must be consistent; to better myself, I must be consistent; to be happy, I must be consistent. I want to be one person, the same person, no matter what goes down. That's the goal.

Baby steps.

Ten things about consistency:

1. Consistency creates momentum.
2. Consistency is a habit that can be practiced and learnt.
3. Consistency breeds credibility.
4. The person who takes action every single day toward the attainment of their goal will always triumph over those who do it every once in a while. Always.
5. Many think consistency is purely a matter of willpower, and that people who are consistent have some kind of special ability to endure. Not true.
6. Surprisingly, doing something every day or nearly every day is actually far easier to sustain than doing it once in awhile.
7. Motivation is not enough. A person waiting for inspiration limits achievement to times when conditions are desirable. And conditions are rarely always desirable. 
8. Creating healthy rituals will take you further than desires and passions.
9. Consistency will induce failure at some stage, which in turn provides valuable feedback, which ultimately leads to better results.
10. Consistency is more about sustainability than it is about speed.

New Year's Resolutions

I know I'm two weeks late but hey, better late than never. 

I could rant about the American tradition of New Year's resolutions. Making a resolution or a promise for the entire year is pretty daunting when you think about it. It's no wonder people always break their resolutions. It seems like because it is a New Year's resolution, it's okay to break it. I usually don't make resolutions because I know I'm just going to break them too. "My New Year's resolution is to not have one."

I'm trying something new this year. Don't get me wrong, I do what to succeed and improve upon myself and do better than I did last year. If you were or are one of those naive Americans (I'm kidding) who made a resolution for this year or past years, then more power to you. I'm not against it. The motive is right. But I think the method is wrong.

So this year, I promise to -- oh wait. 

I promise to do my best to be my best, to work hard, to put in the hours, to push through the good days and the bad, to do well in school, to maintain a positive attitude no matter what, to never complain, to have fun and  make memories, to appreciate what I have and the people I'm with, to always be myself and never compare myself to anyone else. I promise to make this a daily resolution; everyday I will abide by these promises to the best of my ability, and start with a clean slate the following day. I promise to take this resolution one day at a time, that this declaration of change will be a means of improvement for myself, and not a chore or a burden. 

Today is a big enough battle in itself; if I survive today, only then can I tackle tomorrow. 

That's my resolution. An experiment, a work in progress. But it's progress. I aim to keep it. Let's see how well I do.