We’ve all read it; heck, I’ve read it, wrote it, said it multiple times myself: consistency is key.
Consistency beats intensity. Consistency produces results. Consistency leads to success.
But does it?
Is all the work I’m putting in leading to progress? Is success inevitable? Or is going through the motions the only thing I’m getting better at?
To answer those questions, we need to define consistency.
At its most basic, consistency is simply repeating some action – at least that’s how I thought of it in the past. Show up. Do it. Check the box. Done.
Acting the same way and doing the same things, every day.
I think some other people engaged in a fitness journey see it as much the same: Was I at the gym [x] number of times this week? Did I complete my run every day I planned to? Can I cross it off my list?
No doubt, all these measures are important and it’s unlikely most of us will succeed without regularly putting in the work.
A nagging question has been bouncing around in my head lately, though: is my definition of consistency just my perfectionism all dressed up?
Viewing my fitness journey, ‘perfectionism’ isn’t likely what would leap to one’s attention. TBH, you’d be hard-pressed to find any form of ‘perfect’ at all. 😀 It sure would be easy to spot my problem with all-or-nothing thinking, though; and all-or-nothing thinking—if not synonymous with perfectionism—is at least a fellow traveler.
Two years ago, due to some (wonderful) life changes, I went from consistently working out to struggling with showing up at all. I’m still fighting that battle.
Before those changes, one thing is crystal clear: when I showed up consistently, I made progress. Period.
…but was it solely due to ‘consistency’ (as I defined it)? Could I have made—can I now make—more progress by better understanding what consistency actually is?
I found this definition of consistency from Merriam-Webster online:
“Agreement or harmony of parts or features to one another or a whole.”
“consistency.” Merriam-Webster.com. 2025. https://www.merriam-webster.com (18 May 2025)
In the past, I’ve thought of consistency as an almost robotic “ticking off the boxes” ritual, so ‘Agreement of parts to one another?’ Check. I did my workout yesterday, I’m going to do it today, I’ll do it tomorrow.
‘Harmony,’ though? Individual actions in harmony with the whole? That’s something altogether different.
In recent years, my satisfaction came from completing tasks. Run streaks, number of active minutes, points scored in gym challenges – I got that endorphin boost as much from ‘collecting’ those gold stars as I did from doing the activity. More so, actually. I wasn’t giving much thought to the overall goal of becoming more fit and competitive in races I planned to enter. The desire to achieve some future accomplishment didn’t drive my daily actions; the actions were the accomplishment.
This mindset translated to working out through injuries, often feeling not fully recovered, and anxiety that was alleviated only by going through the prescribed motions. I couldn’t bear the thought of *not* working out. Not working out equated to abject failure, in my mind. There was no middle ground.
Honestly, that worked until it didn’t.
My work schedule changed, and everything fell apart. My all-or-nothing workouts quickly went from all to nothing. Missing workouts wreaked havoc on my outlook. The more I missed, the worse it got. Why do anything at all if I can’t do it consistently? If it’s not perfect, why bother?
I see now I should have focused on the intent behind my actions, instead of fixating dogmatically on following a schedule and being controlled by a checklist. I could no longer work out twice a day or workout 6 days a week. So what? Wouldn’t working out three days a week still have moved me closer to my goals? Wouldn’t working out any days done so?
If I had viewed consistency differently, I would have created a new daily schedule in harmony with my overall goals. Starting a new routine instead of stopping in my tracks was the play, and I flubbed it. I should have re-routed; instead, I cancelled the trip.
Now, I am shifting my mindset by realizing activity doesn’t always equate to action. Progress means more than simply going through the motions. It means moving forward with intent and ensuring that my day-to-day actions—at least the majority—are in harmony with my long-term goals.
Perfection, while alluring, is unrealistic. Moving toward the pieces being in harmony with the whole is attainable. That is my focus now; alignment over compliance.
Is consistency key?
No doubt. However, I view it a bit differently now. Consistency is ensuring most of my actions are aligned with my overall goals. This is the key to success, as I define it.
Consistency without intention, though, isn’t progress; it’s simply repetition.
There’s certainly value in putting in the reps – but that’s a whole different article. 😊
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Author Info:
Jennifer Johnson
I’m not a trainer or coach. I’m working on becoming a decent over-50 athlete. I write to discover what I think about challenges I’m facing or experiences I’ve had along the way. I don’t know who said it first, but many have said it since: “Write the book you need to read,” and I’m doing just that. My articles are my thoughts at the moment, not advice. They’re ideas I’m exploring in my quest to continually improve. YMMV. 😉 My fitness journey is on Instagram at JennJohn501 and 37xFit. My articles live here: http://www.37xfit.com.