When I was young I had a love/hate relationship with summer reading assignments. All I wanted was to switch off my brain after the last day of school and refrain from anything remotely academic for the entirety of my mental vacation. If you haven’t read last week’s blog from Kylie (“Having Fun in the Sun”), she has a very similar view on summer. I thought that having to read a book for school would ruin the carefree nature of summer break, so I hated the assignment. I dreaded starting my summer reading each year and would put it off as long as possible… but once I started I always found that I actually kind of enjoyed it (though I’d never admit that). 

At the time, I thought summer reading (and all summer homework, for that matter) was about the “use it or lose it” mentality. I assumed my teachers were afraid that if I went three months without reading a book I would completely forget how to read. I was confident that wouldn’t be the case, so I found the assignment a silly waste of time. Looking back now, I don’t think “use it or lose it” is really the motivation behind summer reading. I think it’s more about cultivating consistency. Having a habit of reading that spanned more than just the academic year made reading a part of life rather than just a part of school. Similarly, working on other academic assignments throughout the summer instilled the idea in me that learning new skills and ideas was a natural part of life, not necessarily tied directly to being in school. This idea of learning and growing beyond the limits of a traditional classroom led me to a value of lifelong learning and growth.

I believe that cultivating consistency is the key to any sustainable growth. The more you can commit to a routine, the more you’ll see improvement and the less effort it will take to keep going. It’s almost as if having a consistent routine in place allows you to go on autopilot. For example, I have been an on-again-off-again runner for the past decade. There have been periods when for months at a time running was a consistent part of my daily or weekly routine. Those have been the times when I was at my peak performance. Because I was running so consistently I was naturally growing stronger and faster. There have also been plenty of periods when for months at a time I would run just every now and then. Without consistency in my routine, each run required an active decision that was just as easy to say no to as it was to say yes to. Going on runs required a level of intentional thought and effort that slowly went away whenever I would cultivate a routine of consistency.

Cultivating consistency is much easier said than done, but over time anyone can make it happen. There are a couple of tips that have helped me cultivate consistency in my own life that may work for you, too.

• Make a schedule. You may eventually be able to go on autopilot, but until then having a schedule will keep you on track. Be intentional about exactly what you want to do and how often, and then schedule time to do it.
• Start small. Set achievable goals and schedule manageable intervals. You can increase them over time, but if you start too large you’re liable to get overwhelmed and quit more easily.
• Speak your intentions into the world. Keeping track of your plans and your progress externally can help you stay consistent. Whether it’s checking off items on a list or calendar or posting on social media, getting the information out of your brain and into the world can help motivate you to keep going.
• Find an accountabilibuddy. Having someone to participate in your routine with, or at least to talk to about your challenges and successes with, can help you stay accountable to sticking to the routine.

Imagine what you could accomplish by cultivating more consistent routines in your life. Whether it’s accomplishing goals in your academic life, making advancements in your professional life, or spending time intentionally in your personal life, cultivating consistency can help you excel in any area. Take some time this summer to think about where you might benefit from some extra consistency, and then make a plan to make it happen!

*Meet the Author*

Morgan has worked with Leadership Inspirations for five years. He has a B.A. in Integrated Educational Studies and an M.A. in Leadership Development from Chapman University.

Favorite quote: “Everything will be okay in the end. If it’s not okay, it’s not the end” – John Lennon

Fun facts: 1) I once trained my pet goldfish to play basketball 2) When I was little I wanted to be a Disneyland parking attendant 3) I’m a big Justin Timberlake fan