Effort and consistency are two things you can control. You, and only you, can control how much effort you put into something. The same goes for how you control how consistent you are with something. Those two controls will help you become whatever you want to be. However, thetwo mental powers of effort and consistency alone are not all that it takes. The third variable, which you don’t always have control over, is the plan. The plan is a major contributor to reaching your goals. A lot of people put the right amount of effort in and are super consistent, but they don’t reach their goal. The truth is, they are putting that focus and effort into the wrong area. They’re following the wrong plan. No matter how much effort and consistency you put into something, if it is not geared towards accomplishing your goals, it wont get you there. You will never see someone trying to create a better jump shot by working on their golf swing. The comparison may be ridiculous, but it’s all about execution of the proper plan when it comes to reaching your goals.
Although we will never see someone trying to create a better jump shot by working on their golf swing, we often see people setting certain goals and doing the wrong things to attain them. For example, by wanting a bigger deadlift you may see someone max out every time they weight train. You can’t build strength by always testing your max. It is quite counterproductive. Another example would be when someone wants to lose weight, so they hit hours upon hours of cardio. This plan is just spinning circles. You can get a lot better at running a mile or two without seeing any physical changes. Not to say it won’t get you any results, it just isn’t the best option.
It’s obviously not done on purpose that people wastetime and effort towards a plan that won’t help them attain their goals. They may just not know any better. Asking questions and seeking information from people who have attained your goals or know how to get there is a must whenever you want to accomplish something. Unless you are Elon Musk, who wants to do a bunch of stuff no one has ever done before, then there is someone out there who has done what you want to do. Find them, contact them, ask them questions, and trust what they say.
Remember, a good plan is the last and final piece to being able to reach your stars. You still need to put effort into the plan and consistently follow it. A plan is only as good as it’s adherence. You can’t just come up with an awesome plan and think some shit is going to happen. You need to adhere to it with consistency and effort to make it work.