Consistency: Keep Your Bottom Up
After all, the saying is 'get your arse in gear'
The first time you spoke up in a meeting or gave a presentation was probably a real test of preparation, timing, and execution. You were juggling a lot, hoping you wouldn’t fumble your points or bore your audience to death (a bit like some of our newsletters, hey!). The fear of blank stares or awkward silence was palpable. But guess what? Even if your delivery was far from perfect, it was a performance, and it was acceptable.
If you’re anything like me, the second time was probably just as nerve-wracking, with similar outcomes. Whether it was a success or a flop, we tend to evaluate our performance based on external factors…“My computer crashed at the worst moment!” or “Tough crowd!”. We put our “I’ll nail it next time” hat back on and hope for better results next time.
However, rather than wishing for a flawless performance, we can learn and identify improvements for next time. We can refine our presentation skills, choose better visuals, or rehearse more thoroughly. With each attempt, the quality can improve. You might even leave your audience feeling inspired instead of just politely nodding along (wink, wink, nudge, nudge). Next time, the performance has the potential to shine…we’ll have raised the bar.
Now, we’re all here because we have an interest in performing well. We’ve dedicated time, energy, and perhaps a bit of cash in the pursuit of improvement - whether in sports, business, or any other endeavour. We all seek those "in the zone" moments, but let’s be real - our performances can swing wildly. If we plotted our performance on a scale of 0-100, it might look like a rollercoaster.
While we all have the potential to nail it on the day, there’s still a chance of a confidence-crushing flop. Experience teaches us how rare it is to hit that sweet spot.
Fortunately, high performers have shown us that we can increase our chances of hitting that sweet spot more regularly. Instead of shooting for perfection, we should first focus on raising our baseline performance, our bottoms - making our “worst” day better.
The key really is consistency. Consistency in attitudes, behaviours, and ultimately, performances. It won’t be the first time you’ve heard this, I’d assume. Then again, to assume is to make an ass out of ‘u’ and ‘me’. So what does consistency actually look like?
Consistent performers exhibit the same attitudes and behaviours regardless of the situation. They look after the components that are easily repeatable, and create a stable base from which consistency comes growth.
When we do this, we can layer on more ambitious goals because the stability has fostered automaticity. Now when you think about your performance, you instinctively know what to do next. It’s like second nature, freeing you to focus on what really matters, rather than panicking about what version of you will show up.
A couple of behaviours that I love to talk about, (and regularly do with my clients), are emotional stability and mental rehearsal. Both of these can help improve consistency.
Emotional stability hinges on emotional intelligence - recognising and understanding your feelings. Are you aware of your emotional state? Trying to label your emotions accurately can help you regulate your responses - leaving you better prepared and able to behave in more consistent ways. Developing this awareness can help us manage emotional overload and prevent sacking off a training session just because the weather has made us feel miserable.
Mental rehearsal can complement this. Visualising scenarios and the emotions tied to them gives us greater control when the real thing happens. It’s true - the same neural pathways are activated as to actual physical practice, so we can get extra reps in without the physical toll. If we’ve already been here before multiple times, our responses get better and more reliable. Consider engaging all your senses to make it as realistic as possible.
So, the four takeaways I’d like you to think about so we can all raise our arses:
Consistent performances lay the groundwork for continuous improvement.
Emotional stability requires self-awareness—how does this performance make you feel?
Stress is unavoidable. How we adapt to it is our choice—prepare for it.
Use your mind—it’s your most accessible tool for practice.
Yours consistently,
Ronny
If you have been reading along consistently, thank you. Shane will be back next week so look out for him! In the meantime, if you’re keen for more performance insights from our previous editions - all here on Substack.
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