Purpose & Dreams

Episode #378 – Consistency: Build Momentum, Stay the Course

January 21, 2025

I’m Cherylanne.
I am the trusted advisor ambitious women want in their corner to help them fully embody their potential.
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Today, I’m excited to bring you the final installment of our Momentum Map. I know you’re eager to unlock the secrets to your success, and this episode is key.

We’re focusing on consistency—the magic ingredient that ensures you stay on track. I’ll share why consistency matters, how to build trust with yourself, and practical ways to maintain your momentum.

If you’re ready to elevate your journey and see your goals come to life, join me in exploring this essential practice.

Show Highlights:

  • The need for consistency 02:58
  • How do we achieve big results? 03:57
  • Building trust with ourselves 04:42
  • The key to staying in momentum 05:46
  • Challenges in building consistency 07:04
  • Learn about having external accountability 09:24
  • Breaking the culture of instant gratification 11:46
  • Focusing on one thing at a time 13:47

For more details and to register for the “Clarity and Courage for 2025” workshop, visit http://www.brilliant-balance.com/courage.

Get my free Self Guided Retreat Workbook: https://brilliant-balance.com/selfguidedretreat

Subscribe to the Brilliant Balance Weekly: http://www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly

Follow Cherylanne on Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/cskolnicki

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This is episode 378 of the Brilliant Balance podcast. Today, I’m talking about consistency—how to build momentum and stay the course. If you’re a regular listener, this is the third episode in a three-part series I’ve been doing to start the year. It’s all about the three essential practices you need to achieve the big goals you’ve set for yourself. While these practices apply at any time of year, the beginning of the year is when most of us focus on goal-setting, so it’s the perfect time to revisit these principles.

If you haven’t listened to the first two episodes, you may want to check those out first. In the first, I talked about clarity—the importance of knowing exactly what you want and the challenges that come with a lack of clarity when you start working toward a goal. In the second episode, I focused on courage, which is what gets you out of the starting blocks and taking those first steps toward what you want.

The third “C” in this series is consistency. This one is absolutely essential because, without it, we start many things but rarely finish them. A colleague once described this as trying to fly to California but landing in Kansas because you didn’t have enough fuel to get there. That’s how I think about consistency—it’s the practice that keeps you moving until you reach your destination. Without it, we fall short.

Last Friday, I hosted a live workshop—a masterclass on this topic. If you missed it or didn’t register in time, you can still access the recording. Just go to brilliant-balance.com/courage to grab it. The workshop is a great resource to support you in implementing the ideas I’ve been discussing in this series.

Let’s dive into consistency. For some of you, this might feel like the missing piece. Maybe it’s the reason you haven’t achieved your goals in the past. I’ll admit—this has been my own personal challenge. I tend to do well with clarity and courage, but sticking with something, especially when it takes time to achieve, is where I struggle. Humans are prone to distraction. We lose interest, find other things that capture our attention, and fall off course. That’s why consistency is arguably the most important of the three Cs—because it’s the one that ensures we follow through and achieve our goals.

Let’s start by anchoring ourselves in why consistency matters so much. First, small steps, taken consistently, lead to big results. Consistency compounds over time. Years ago, I read a book called The Slight Edge that really drove this point home. It emphasized how small, consistent actions in the same direction can produce exponential results over time. It’s magical when you see it in action. Consistency creates that compounding effect, which is why it’s so powerful.

Second, consistency helps us build trust in ourselves. When we say we’re going to do something and then follow through, we strengthen that trust. On the flip side, every time we fail to follow through, we chip away at it. Over time, this impacts our self-esteem and sense of integrity. But when we honor our commitments—no matter how small—we learn to trust ourselves and take ourselves at our word. That trust is incredibly empowering.

Third, consistency helps us maintain momentum. Think of rolling a ball on a flat surface. If you give it a little push now and then, it keeps moving. Those consistent taps keep the ball rolling, even during periods when your motivation wanes. Missing a day—or even a week—doesn’t matter as long as you keep coming back and applying those small, consistent taps.

So, if consistency is so important, why do we struggle with it? There are a few common challenges. First, overwhelm. Many of us live in a near-constant state of overwhelm because we’re trying to do too many things at once. This often leads to burnout. When we take on too much, we can’t sustain it, and we eventually find ourselves back at square one. That’s why doing fewer things, with greater consistency, is key.

Second, lack of discipline or accountability. Discipline is self-led; it’s the ability to hold ourselves accountable. Accountability, on the other hand, involves someone else—a coach, a friend, or a group—helping us stay on track. Discipline is powerful, but most of us don’t have as much of it as we’d like. Accountability can bridge that gap. When we share our goals with someone else and give them permission to check in on us, our chances of success skyrocket. It’s a simple but effective way to stay consistent.

Third, impatience. In our culture of instant gratification, it’s easy to give up when we don’t see immediate results. But the things that matter most often take time. If your goals are significant, they’re unlikely to happen overnight. Recognizing this and committing to the long game is essential for maintaining consistency.

So, how can we cultivate consistency? First, find focus. You don’t have to do everything at once. Sequential focus—tackling one habit, action, or goal at a time—can be a game-changer. This idea is echoed in Greg McKeown’s book Essentialism. By harnessing your energy toward the most critical things, you accelerate your progress.

Second, create routines that build predictable patterns. When you establish rhythms in your day, week, or month, certain behaviors become automatic. Think about how you brush your teeth without even thinking about it—it’s just part of your routine. The same can be true for other habits. The more routines you have, the less mental energy you’ll spend trying to remember or motivate yourself to take action.

Finally, hardwire accountability into your life. Whether it’s through a coach, a community like BOLD, or an accountability partner, having someone to keep you on track can make all the difference. When someone else knows what you’re working toward and checks in with you, you’re far more likely to stay consistent.

Finding focus, building routines, and hardwiring accountability—these three strategies form the trifecta of consistency. And they matter, because I want you to achieve the goals that mean the most to you this year. When you picture the life you want and the way you want to feel, I want that for you too.

If you need support, don’t hesitate to reach out. You can visit brilliant-balance.com, respond to any of my emails, or DM me on Instagram @cskolnicki. Let’s make this your year. Until next time, go be brilliant.

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