Consistent Action, Lasting Results

After a few months into starting the gym, I started seeing 
a difference: Kian Hanlan, iPhone

As I approach my Senior year at SDSU I realize how important the gym is to me. I started going in my sophomore year for 8 consecutive months, took a pause in my junior year, and started again this summer. After returning to the gym I have seen a noticeable difference in my physique. Seeing this change makes me proud of staying consistent and showing up, but it’s not always easy.

Many days I do not feel like going to the gym either because I am tired or I want to do something else. However, I think about my goal of reaching 160 lbs, a weight I was so close to reaching last year but failed, and know that a day I don’t show up is one more day that sets me further from my goal. This motivates me to show up and stay consistent with this activity. 


By going regularly, the gym teaches me the power of consistency and its relationship to success. The small efforts may not feel like they are doing anything in the moment, but they all add up and create a compounding effect. It’s amazing to look back to when I started and how weak and skinny I was, and compare that version of me to now. The gym is the first activity that really showed me how consistency can make a difference and that’s why I value it so much.


I have found the effects of consistency in other areas outside of the gym too. I started an internship this year and honestly sucked at it for the first couple of weeks. I couldn’t understand what was happening and felt like a guppy in a sea of sharks. I had to fail many times a day before I could even grasp how to get things done. But after repeated exposure and practice, I was able to learn, make mistakes, and get better at the job to the point where I can say I am confident in what I do. Consistency is what allows room for mistakes and growth. Without the constant ability to try again and again, I would be a lot worse at my job. Looking back, I am in a much stronger position to advance my career with this experience under my belt than when I started, and I know this experience will bring me closer to landing a higher position later.


Learning how to apply yourself even when it's hard or when motivation runs out is essential to making improvements. Consistency and its ability to create change can be applied to any aspect of your life. For me, my personal (gym) and career (internship) growth are my main areas that I apply consistency, and I have reaped the benefits and continue to see them time after time. I urge you to ask yourself where you apply consistency in your life. What goals are you working towards that require effort? Why do you want to achieve them? See how consistency has helped you in the past and apply that towards a new goal. Time is a beautiful tool, use it while you can.



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