Consistency Speaks Louder Than Words

There’s been more than a few times in my life when people have commented on the consistency of training habits that I perhaps take for granted.

During my mid-twenties and early thirties, I used to post runs, gym sessions and progress updates on social media. Over time though as I’ve mentioned elsewhere, my social media usage dwindled to the point of not using it at all.

The fitness posts were probably the last to go but honestly it didn’t feel like the world was missing much in not seeing my latest mileage splits or long distances. Unexpectedly though from time to time it would become apparent that some people actually did miss my posts.

A friend once told me that they actually motivated him to get out for a run so for a short period I started posting again but it was relatively short lived. Though the typical social media sharing has stopped, for metric and performance tracking I use Strava so people still get insights into my continued training consistency.

People Notice More Than You Think

I’ve moved around a few times over the past 15 years but running has always been a constant. Not least because for many years it was my primary means of travel to and from the office. Over time, running the same routes starts to get you noticed by the regulars. I’m still surprised by how often strangers stop me to say, “I see you running all the time.” Some even express concern if they haven’t spotted me for a while.

The same frequently happens in the gym after I’ve been a member for a few months or so. Compliments are something I’m not entirely comfortable in receiving however they remind me that even when I’m lost in my own training, other people are paying attention.

Racing to the flyover

Since moving to a new location 18 months or so ago, I’ve settled into a regular morning routine that ends with a 5–6 mile run home from the gym. As with any location I’ve lived in, I’ve come to recognise the familiar faces of people on their own daily routines. One stands out though, a boy, maybe nine or ten, walking to school with his mum. Somewhere along the line, he decided that whenever he saw me coming, it was race time!

He’ll hand his cap to his mum, crouch slightly as if on a start line, and sprint with me up the road to the flyover. I let him edge out the win but keep it close enough that he has to work for it. It’s become a small ritual, but one that brightens up the morning. Hopefully the takeaway he gets from this is seeing the consistency in training and work that I put in on a daily basis but also a bit of mini motivation for him starting his day running against a grown man. Whatever he takes from it though he keeps at it without fail every time I show up. He sees me before I even see him!

Someone Is Always Watching

Whether we realise it or not, many times people are watching and paying attention especially when you’re continually grinding away with work or training. Sometimes it’s a friend. Sometimes it’s a stranger. Sometimes it’s a kid you didn’t even notice until the day he decided to race you down the road.

When no one’s watching, or when we think or feel like no one is it can be easy to cut corners. But if you give your best in the moments that seem small, and when it seems like no one is paying attention, you’ll be ready for the big moments when they come along.

Most of my training isn’t for a specific event, just like much of my attention to detail at work isn’t tied to one presentation or deadline. It’s about building habits that make quality, consistency and discipline the norm, not the exception.

I have the first lines from ‘Our Deepest Fear’ tattooed on my chest but it’s a later line in the poem that comes to mind:

“Your playing small does not serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so others won’t feel insecure around you. We were all meant to shine, as children do.”

We give value back to the world when we put our best selves forward. Don’t shy away from your own greatness. Someone, somewhere, is drawing strength and motivation from you, even if you don’t know it yet.