Consistency for Success…

“Some people like the 'idea' of being a champion. and others truly desire greatness on a level so intense that it's not comprehensible by those that don't. We all have to establish our level of commitment. Some commit more than others. It's obvious that those at the top of every sport simply dedicated their entire lives to the pursuit of greatness. The rest didn't and therefore won't make it to the top.”

Above is the quote which I woke up to on my Facebook memories today… I’ve been planning another article for a few weeks now and trying to figure out what to write about. The technical articles of what shoes to wear, what does a contest kit bag contain, stone lifting back in Scotland are all on the list, but reading this quote when I woke up today really spurred the motivation and incentive to write about a topic which actually carries on from my previous article. Consistency, and the success that consistency directed at your endeavor can produce.

In other blogs I’ve touched upon the topic of motivation, but also passion which when coupled with that motivation can cause big things to happen. That said, motivation and passion conquer nothing without the help of consistency.

If you ever learned to ride a bike as a child, you already know the power of consistency and the results it can bring. Looking at it in simple terms like this really opens your eyes and give a perspective when you compare the relatively simple task of riding a bike to more complex ones we face as adults.

Why do we fail and not accomplish our goals? Nine out of ten times it is going to be down to consistency. We don't fail because we have some sort of great insight into the future. We fail simply because at that moment in time we cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel, we simply see the setbacks and then start to doubt ourselves and ultimately that doubt turns into defeat manifested as failure.

As children for some reason we can overlook the setbacks. You can fall off your bike again and again and again, then suddenly something clicks and you find your balance, you start peddling and never look back. When we grow to adulthood though, those same setbacks become huge obstacles that we decide we cannot overcome, and we quit. If we just kept that consistency, kept getting back up and trying again we would achieve great things that many have already counted us out for.

An example of consistency and the power of it in our world of strongman comes down to in my opinion one name… Phil Pfister.

2001 World’s Strongest Man at the Victoria Falls in Zambia, the Hercules Hold. Pfister made a speech about one day becoming the World’s Strongest Man, most people thought it was just a show for the TV cameras and didn't take the meaning behind the words serious.

Fast forward to 2006 in Sanya, China and here is Phil, much bigger, stronger and far more experienced. Years of consistency and hard work led to this moment.

After a poor start, Pfister then proceeded to win 4 events in a row and put himself within touching distance of the crown. All he had to do was beat Mariusz Pudzianowski in the Atlas Stones and he would be the first American to win since 1982 when Kaz took his last title. Mariusz took a quick lead, but Phil kept his pace and on the last stone Mariusz’s rolled around the hole while Pfister secured his steady first to take home the win and the overall contest.

Consistency… It comes in many forms and the story of Phil Pfister shows it in all it’s glory. The consistency over years to keep training and improving whilst keeping your eye on the end goal. The consistency throughout a contest so that even after a poor start he still put himself within reach of the title. Lastly and by far most importantly, the consistency in one single event lasting less than 60 seconds to simply be consistent and keep your pace to achieve the one thing you’ve spent years trying to attain.

So there you have it, consistency. No matter how motivated or passionate you are, without the consistent drive to achieve you never will. Be like Phil Pfister, reach the top of your mountain!!

Check out Phil’s 2001 speech here: