From the book, The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth, John wrote:

Knowing what to improve and how to improve are critical to consistency in personal growth. But so is knowing why. The how and the what will only take you so far. The why is what keeps you motivated long after that first rush of energy and enthusiasm wears off. It can carry you through when willpower isn’t enough. Think of it as why-power.

He shared the story of a salesman who looked out the window of the hotel restaurant at a blinding snowstorm. He asked his waiter, “Do you think the roads will be clear enough in the morning to travel?”

The waiter replied, “Depends on if you’re on salary or commission.”

John continued, “Having a strong why will help you to keep going when the discipline of learning becomes difficult, discouraging, or tedious. If your growth is connected to your values, dreams, and purpose, you will know why you’re doing it. And you will be more likely to follow through.”

I have my niece, Windy, who is part of Life Spark Mentoring. She joins us from New Jersey. To me and many other people who know well, she is a great example of strength of character, perseverance, consistency, and why-power.  

Few years ago, Windy decided to go back to school to work on her masters. She did it as a single mother and a full-time employee.  She spent many long nights doing homework. She remained focused on her goal even when she faced unfavorable circumstances. I suspect, at time, it would have been easy for her to quit. Given the situation, quitting would have been a justifiable reason. But she didn’t. Neither did she neglect the care of her son and her duty as a school teacher while she was working on her goal. Why didn’t she quit? It’s simply because her why was stronger than her what and how. Based on the conversation Windy and I had during her graduation ceremony, to recall it only in part, she wanted to do it for herself to begin with. She also wanted to be an example to her son. The example of a grandmother who had a relentless drive for continuous improvement also played a role in her why. She wanted to do it so she could add more values to her students. There were many other reasons. In short her why was connected to her values, dreams, and purpose. It started with her and grew to include others.

If you find yourself struggling with consistency in your personal growth, I can almost guarantee you that the problem is not with your what and how. It’s with your why. When your why is strong enough, the what and how will come. By the way, these two are already there. They might be in your blindside. Last month I was looking for a Spanish book. I knew I had at least 2 or 3 in the house. I could not find any. After I returned from Dominican Republic with a stronger desire to improve my Spanish, I looked for the book again. It seemed that the book jumped out of the shelf so I could find it.

Now, one more thought about consistency. Consistency is not perfection. My good friend and mentor, John puts it this way, and I am laughing, “Only a dead person is perfectly consistent.” You will fumble here and there. That’s okay. Just pick up the ball and start running again because you are still in the game of life. You are an important player. Your teammates, coaches, and fans need you to keep on going. Remember The Law of the Mirror. “You must see value in yourself to add value to yourself.” You are your own MVP.

My friend, let me close this post by saying that I am grateful for your support in my personal and professional growth. I thank you for that. We are building a strong movement called Life Spark Mentoring where people like you and me can work together to help each other grow and to add value to others.

May you have a fabulous growing day!