Why You Need To Be Consistent As A Business Owner/Solopreneur

Why You Need To Be Consistent As A Business Owner/Solopreneur 

Business And Strategy 

“It’s not what we do once in a while that shapes our lives. It’s what we do consistently” – Tony Robbins

We all know that true success does not occur overnight. Behind it sits volumes of efforts, beliefs and actions demonstrated consistently over time. Buttressing much of our success has been the small daily or weekly decisions and actions and how they have added up over the years.

With a new year well underway, we need to ask ourselves how our actions are stacking up against the intentions, resolutions and goals we have set for ourselves.

Whether it has been a commitment to read recent industry publications to help us remain relevant; invested time in creating purposeful professional relationships and broad networks; or made a conscious effort to expand and diversify our skill sets, the consistency of our actions (or lack thereof) has played a major role in where we find ourselves today.

When advising business owners, I often think of the term, "The Progress Principle: Using Small Wins to Ignite Joy, Engagement, and Creativity at Work. A book by Steven Kramer and Teresa AmabileIt." The book reminds us: “Of all the things that can boost emotions, motivation, and perceptions during a workday, the single most important is making progress in meaningful work,”

Building awareness around what needs to be done is only the first step. We must execute our ideas and ambitions – which is often easier said than done.

However, at times our ability to navigate change and showcase true career sturdiness, never have these ‘little things’ counted for so much. These small actions over time accumulate positively or negatively like they do in a bank account. 

Lots of small proactive decisions add up in a positive way like a regular savings in a bank account; whereas laziness and bad decisions are like small debts eating away at your value over time.

A tool I frequently draw on in my business is my business plan which prompts me to regularly ask myself some of the following:

Where are you at right now and why?

What are your most pressing considerations?

What can be done to implement immediate action?

How can you optimize existing business options?

What are the long-term implications or possible outcomes?

Ultimately, these questions will help you to determine what actions you are taking to grow and the value of your business today.

In talking with other business owners or solopreneurs, I often hear that it is not the big things that keep them awake at night but the little things. Why? Because they know that over time these little ‘things’ have the power to become big things and significantly impact on their efficiency, the outcomes they get and relationships they build. It is exactly the same with our business – if we aren’t careful, failure to act on the ‘little’ things will prevent us from reaching our potential and desired levels of success.

As business owners and managers, our ability to demonstrate and build consistency in performance, behavior and service is essential. Nothing is more frustrating than inconsistency in one or more of these three elements. No doubt many of us are able to recall colleagues who have severely limited their opportunities due to an inability to consistently perform or behave. Where one week they seem to be producing very good results only to not contribute for the following three weeks. Or where they are technically brilliant at what they do but cause so many problems amongst their team members that the overall results are compromised because no one wants to work with them or you in future.

There is no doubt that one of the biggest causes of failure today is inconsistency.

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Whilst the idea of consistency is fairly simple the ability to execute it is often not. More often than not it is due to one of the following three things:

Impatience: We want the results immediately. Think of all those dieting and exercise activities that we have all always hopped  upon!

Belief: If we don’t believe in what we are doing, be it business, exercising, dieting, and so on, the only thing that we are most likely to be consistent in is avoidance. Avoiding anything that relates to it because we do not believe in it.

Value: We fail to see the benefits of the amount of effort invested. It will feel as though you are doing nothing.

Consistency is most definitely achievable for us all but it does take practice. It takes practice and patience to understand what it is that you do and why. It is critical for you to understand how consistency creates high value and longevity in your business or as a solopreneur. 

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I would encourage you to take a moment to consider the following benefits of being consistent.

It takes determination, repeated and consistent efforts to achieve your set goals.

Here are 6 benefits of consistency:

Establishes Belief 

The thoughts and actions that we take on a daily and/or regular basis do shape our own self-belief and the belief that others have in us. Not only is it a powerful force for motivating and building trust in others but it also serves as a powerful model for the standards we and others rise and fall to.

Creates Relevance: 

Your customers, clients, organizations and team members are all looking up to you as a reliable and informed source of information. To remain informed we need to be relevant. What are the latest developments in your industries, your areas of expertise or your regions? Is your level of knowledge and its viability empowering or not empowering you and what you do?

Allows For Measurement: 

To build meaningful and successful steps of growth we need to understand what it is that is actually working – or not working. What are the results of your consistent efforts, actions and strategies – are they good or bad? Our ability to measure, assess and realign are vital skills in our ever-changing world.

Creates Accountability:

Accountability is a critical requirement in high performance and values aligned cultures. Owning what you do, the ‘why’ and the way you do it can’t help but create accountability for both yourself and those around you. Being consistently accountable – in the good and the bad times – is what will set you apart as the consummate professional.

Builds Stability: 

Not only does it build stability but it also builds sustainability. When people know what you stand for and where they stand with you, it provides the framework for them to perform at their best. By removing the game playing, the contradictions and the inconsistencies, individuals have a clear path to success that gives rise to both confidence and loyalty.

Establishes Your Reputation: 

Your track record is your reputation. Building that track record on one that is defined is important to your business growth. Building your reputation as a business/Solopreneur is important for potential customers since it indicates trustworthiness and honesty.

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