How to be consistent

Consistency is the only thing that makes your methods stick and do their magic. Without discipline, a foolproof workflow will fail on its tracks. In fact, consistency is more important than your methods because, most of the time, independently of the method you choose to do your work, consistency will be the thing that dictates your success. That is why that after 8 years of studying in school, I have found success while studying only by taking notes, or mindmapping or simply reading the textbook. When looking back I was puzzled to notice that it didn’t seem like there was a perfect study method for me – however I concluded that the only thing there was in common in my success stories was consistency and the thing there was in common in all my failures was a lack of it. I am still struggling to stay consistent but I am atleast making an effort.

Methods are important but secondary. There is high value in mastering different techniques and understanding what’s the type of workflow or learning process that works best for you however, forming a habit out of picking any method will be the detrimental factor in your success. When you experience this, you will notice you can have the same results with different methods; however, most of the times, these good marks will result from a consistent and continued undertaking of those methods.

Consistency, of course, can manifest itself in different forms. It can be seen as a simple habit-tracking formula, where you commit to do a certain activity, like studying, every day. It can also manifest into a deeper involvement with the subject-matter – something particularly important with language learning, for example. Getting involved with the subject in ways outside the scope of your class will boost that consistency. Things like going to conferences, reading articles, talking to people about the subject, writing an independent paper, watch a documentary although you’re not working in the most traditional way, you’re improving your understanding of the subject in a more organic manner, making progress and becoming more consistent

Know that there isn’t a best method, a best technique or a best piece of tech or equipment to dictate your success. There are different ways to reach a certain result and although it’s advisable that you try to adapt to more generally efficient ways to produce good quality work, they are not exclusive. Developing your autonomy and re-adapting to the situation at hand is more important than being stubborn and sticking to the same methods over and over again. In that way, being a mindful student or a mindful worker that understands how they can incorporate a steady workflow into a busy lifestyle is more important than spending hours mindmapping your entire textbook the night before an exam and compromise your understanding of the subject.