83. The Power of Predictability

I ordered custom shirts for us at Warehouse Gym Co. a couple years ago. The first batch came in and I wasn’t super pumped about how they turned out, but it was my bad on how I advised the design should be. I revamped the design and ordered a bunch more shirts. The same ones in the same size as the first batch. The second time around, the design was great, but the shirts themselves were all over the map. What was supposed to be the exact same shirt came in an entirely different cut this time. Not only that, but each of the shirts that came, all in the same size, were all slightly different cuts. One of these might fit someone, but the others would not, despite it being from the same order and being the same size.

Needless to say, I did not pursue further apparel from this brand.

It was disappointing because from what I could gather, it was a decent brand with a good track record. Whatever the case, I can’t imagine I’m the only one frustrated with their inconsistency.

When you spend money on something, you should know what you’re getting. In fact, even when you don’t spend money, you shouldn’t have to wonder what version of something (or someone) you’re getting.

There’s a power to consistency, and I don’t think we realize how great it is.

Knowing what you’re going to get when you place an order or show up somewhere is an essential aspect of being satisfied with your experience.

Just think back to your all time least favourite boss. They were inconsistent weren’t they? You didn’t know what version of them would show up did you? You would talk with your colleagues about what kind of mood the boss was in today didn’t you?

Now think to your all time favourite boss. Or teacher or other authoritative figure. You knew what you were going to get with them didn’t you? You didn’t have to wonder where you stand with them did you? They consistently showed up the same way didn’t they?

That’s what you have to do.

Be consistent.

Deliver the same service every time.

Show up with the same energy every time.

Prepare the same way every time.

Predictably be yourself.

Volatility should be reserved for cryptocurrencies.

Not your moods.

Not your exercise routine.

Not the way you treat people.

Not your diet or your sleep pattern.

Not your beliefs or values.

Sure, we’re gifted the opportunity to choose who we are every morning, but there’s power in making the same choice every day.

I assure you, a business with a new product or service coming out every week is not a thriving business.

A good business is consistent. It delivers day after day, and when you pay today, you know you’ll be getting the same thing as yesterday (or something better).

I’m all for supporting small, local businesses, but tolerating inconsistent returns on what we’re paying for doesn’t help any of us in the long run.

Let’s face it. Starbucks delivers. Period.

The local corner coffee shop with the forever changing menu and constantly broken latte machine? Inconsistent would be an accurate word to describe it.

With so many unknowns in our modern world, what we need to offer is consistent predictability.

We need to know what and who we can trust. In my town, the one restaurant that’s guaranteed to be full on a Friday night is Cactus Club. Why? Because it’s always the same, and it’s always good.

Are you always the same? Are you always good? Or when we get together do I need to check in with you to see what version of you I’m getting and then respond accordingly?

When people come over to your house, is it reasonable of them to expect the same version of you that they met at work? I’m not saying you can’t wear a few different hats, but do you think people know what they’re getting into with you?

Does your business and your family stay true to a consistent set of values? If someone signs a year long contract, can they feel confident in their investment with your team?

The answer needs to be yes.

There needs to be a trail of evidence behind you that you have consistently been who you say you are. A long trail.

That trail can evolve, and it should, but it needs to keep forward progress and stay in the same lane for a while.

Now there’s some contrary advice eh? Stay in your lane? Let me explain.

We’ve all seen the cars in rush hour traffic dipping and dodging through all the lanes of traffic, only to wind up right back beside you at the red light, having gotten nowhere.

There’s power in holding a steady course. Picking a direction and deciding to go as far as you can is a decision far few too many people make.

I know from my own experience.

I became a real estate agent with no track record of anything that would suggest it made sense for you to hire me as your real estate agent. To be blunt, it was a grind trying to create proof that I belonged in the industry. Nothing I had done in my life beforehand indicated this was a logical progression of who I was.

Now here’s the thing. Eventually, I did create the track record because I created a new version of myself. You can be anyone you want to be, but not overnight.

From my experience, it would have taken about 5 years to chart a course with a large enough wake to start picking up speed as a realtor. It just so happens that right around that time is when I decided to change course and fully focus on fitness and gym ownership.

When I made that change, it didn’t take nearly as long to gain momentum. The reason is because I already had a track record of proof behind me.

Again, don’t hear me wrong. You can prove yourself in any category you want, and I’ll be the first one to convince you of this if you don’t believe it.

You can do anything you set your mind to. You can become an authority figure and earn credibility in any field you choose.

You’ve just got to be consistent.

Not for 30 days though. 30 days proves nothing. Heck, you can fumble your way through a lot for 30 weeks without getting very far.

Let’s start talking around the 30 month mark. Give it a real shot.

Consistently show up and make the same decision every day for 30 months and see how far you can get. I’d bet it’s further than you think, but only if you stick with it.

It might take 6 months to master the perfect cup of coffee, 6 months to be able to make it every time, 6 months to find the right machine that doesn’t break down, 6 months until people recognize the effort and then another 6 before it becomes profitable.

Don’t change the menu. Improve what’s already there and accept that it was you who wrote the menu in the first place.

If you’ve been at something for 30 months and haven’t made much progress, be honest about it and evaluate options.

Just remember that you don’t get to take advantage of the compounding effect unless you continue with the same investment for a long period of time.

Your returns in life are highest when you’re consistent over a long period of time.

All I have to do if someone is ever unhappy with their progress in the gym is point them to all the weeks in the past year that they’ve been “off”. The returns don’t come when you take weeks off. The new orders don’t come if sometimes the product is faulty.

I understand that there are reasons for everything, including any inconsistencies in your pursuit of a worthy ideal.

All I’m suggesting is that you think of reasons to be consistent when the world might be telling you it’s unreasonable.

— Cody

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See you next Thursday.

Interested in chatting in person over a couple steaming cups? Send me a text!