Rethinking Consistency: The Key to Achieving Your Goals
If you're like many of the women I talk to, you've probably wished you could be more consistent. You know, if only you could show up every day, check the boxes, and follow through with your actions, you'd achieve your goals, right?
But what if I told you that consistency isn't about ticking off tasks every single day? What if there’s a deeper, more aligned way to approach consistency that will actually move you closer to your goals without all the pressure and overwhelm?
Let’s dive in and rethink what consistency really means when it comes to achieving your dreams.
Challenging the Myth of Daily Consistency
When we talk about consistency, we often assume that it means showing up day in and day out, doing the same thing over and over again. We tend to equate consistency with a rigid routine, with checking off lists, and with being constantly productive. But here's the thing: this isn’t necessarily what consistency looks like when we align with our values.
Recently, I looked up the definition of consistency, and the first definition I came across was "harmony across all the parts." This really struck a chord with me. Because if you've been following me for any length of time, you know that one of the core things I teach is aligning your life with your values to create harmony. When all the parts of your life are in sync, they work together to support you rather than working against you.
The Impact of Misalignment
When we’re not in alignment with our values, the parts of our life that aren’t in harmony create obstacles. And instead of addressing these obstacles with the usual strategies—like pushing through with more willpower or sacrificing more—we often just work harder and harder, thinking that’s what we need to do. The truth is, this only sets us up for burnout and frustration.
Here’s where I want to challenge the traditional idea of consistency: consistency isn’t about grinding through every day without fail. It's about alignment. If your life isn’t aligned with what truly matters to you, no amount of hard work is going to move you toward your goals. In fact, it’s more likely to keep you stuck in a cycle of exhaustion and frustration.
The Power of Alignment with Your Values
Let’s talk about alignment. You’ve probably heard me talk about how your core values drive everything you do. Whether your values are positive or fear-based, they shape your actions every single day. This is why it’s so important to get clear on your values. When your actions are aligned with your values, your goals naturally flow out of that alignment.
The first step is to identify your top four core values for this season of life. Once you know what’s truly important to you, you can start aligning your actions with those values. This becomes your priority, and it should shape the decisions you make every day.
What’s amazing about this is that when you focus on aligning with your core values, you don’t need to sacrifice your happiness or well-being. You don’t need to push through resistance. Instead, you start making decisions that naturally move you toward your goals, without the stress of forcing things to happen.
Moving Beyond the Grind: Finding Harmony, Not Hustle
Think about the last time you set a goal. How often did you feel the need to hustle and grind to achieve it? This approach often leaves us drained and frustrated because we're focusing on checking boxes rather than aligning with what’s really important. When you’re in alignment with your values, you don’t need to hustle. You just need to show up authentically, and everything falls into place.
I used to be the person who thought I had to work nonstop to get results. I believed I had to sacrifice everything—my health, my family time, my relationships—in order to reach my goals. But after applying the principles of values-based goal setting, everything changed. I no longer had to push through or force myself to work longer hours. By aligning my actions with my values, I began to show up fully for my work, my family, and even for myself.
I know this might sound counterintuitive, but when you start by resting and reflecting, when you pause to think and align, you actually move forward faster. Your focus shifts from trying to control everything to trusting the process and staying in harmony with what truly matters.
What Does This Look Like in Practice?
I’ll give you an example from my own life. Before I embraced the value goal framework, I was constantly burning the midnight oil, thinking that the only way to succeed was to work myself into the ground. But once I started aligning my actions with my values, time seemed to expand. I was no longer stressed about not getting everything done. Instead, I found myself able to focus on the things that really moved the needle, while maintaining balance and energy for the rest of my life.
Today, even with a busy schedule and unexpected challenges—like flu outbreaks in the office or tight deadlines—I feel rested, focused, and in control. I’m not working myself into burnout, and I’m not sacrificing what’s most important to me. I’m showing up consistently across all areas of my life, and it's making all the difference.
Shifting Your Focus to What Truly Matters
If you’re tired of the constant struggle to be “consistent,” I want to encourage you to focus on alignment instead. Consistency isn’t about sticking to a rigid routine or checking boxes every single day. It’s about creating harmony across your life and aligning your actions with your core values. When you do that, you’ll start seeing results without the stress and overwhelm.
So here’s your challenge: take a moment to identify your top four core values right now. Look at how your life aligns with those values, and make decisions that support them. If you’re not aligned with your values, have a conversation with yourself—and with God—about where you might be letting fear-based values dictate your actions.
Consistency isn’t about daily routines or checking off tasks—it’s about living in harmony with what’s important to you. When you do that, everything else will naturally fall into place.
To Your Success From Rest,
Rachel
PS: If you would like to learn more about how to achieve results without the heavy weight of traditional goal setting, simply email me at rachel@tappingtheuntapped.com and I will reach out with ways to connect and free resources I have available.