My understanding of consistency is always changing, despite the core principle of it still been the same. When you're consistent, you build momentum or structure, which gradually moves you into the territory where you can do more for less.
Of course, before reaching that stage, there is a steep or not so steep learning curve, akin to an uphill battle, where your chances of succeeding are lesser than your chances of falling.
Putting this on a needs vs wants dynamics may shed light on what gives to eventually succeed at this steep or not so steep learning curve.
As humans, we are drawn more to our wants than our needs because we can take more pleasure from the former than the latter.
Continuing with that train of thought, one could state that we're more consistent on what we want than on what we need. This is true, in some ways. In my own experience, I tend to get more voltage to do what I want to do than what I need to do.
For the most part, I'm almost indifferent towards what I need to do. Like Nike, I just do it. Without the frills, thrills or whatever.
Unfixed Fire
But the thing with this "more voltage" is that it is like fire, it is unstable. How many times have our wants change in a relatively short amount of time? Or the moments when we seem to have many wants at the same time?
For example, starting a new hobby with intense enthusiasm, buying all the equipment, then losing interest within weeks after trying out this new hobby.
Or wanting to master music, painting and a new language simultaneously. Sometimes, even external factors play a part, as in, wanting to become a writer until you see someone succeed in tech, then suddenly you want to do coding instead.
The point of the matter is our wants flare up intensely and burnt out quickly. This is a major downside and it is quite unacceptable if we really want to build consistency.
Problematic Wants
Frankly, a cyclical nature of intense desire followed by rapid burnout creates a pattern that works against the very essence of consistency we're trying to build.
This pattern becomes particularly problematic because:
- Each cycle of enthusiasm and abandonment reinforces a habit of inconsistency
- The repeated pattern can damage our self-trust and confidence in starting new endeavors
- Resources (time, money, energy) get wasted in the process
- The actual benefits of consistency never materialize, since we rarely push past the initial resistance phase.
Needs, on the other hand, can be likened to gravity - a constant force that operates whether we pay attention to it or not. More like a persistent pull that doesn't fade with time or compete for attention and they're indifferent to our enthusiasm or lack thereof.
Now, this gravitational pull of needs might actually be the key to conquering that steep learning curve.
Continuing with this analogy, the fire of wants can provide the initial thrust to build momentum. Perhaps, like a rocket burning bright fuel to escape Earth's atmosphere and then, it's the steady pull of needs that keeps the rocket on a stable orbit.
In simpler terms, use wants as the initial propulsion, then anchor the journey in needs to create a sustainable orbit.
Thanks for reading!! Share your thoughts below on the comments.