“If you are persistent, you will get it. If you are consistent, you will keep it.”
Unknown
How Do You Build Success That Sticks?
Here’s a truth that I’ve wrestled with: persistence will get you to the summit, but consistency is what keeps you standing there.
Think about the grit it takes to hit a big goal—a career milestone, a fitness transformation, or even leading your team through a tough season. It’s persistence that drives you to figure things out when nothing seems to work. But here’s the catch: reaching that goal isn’t the end. The habits, disciplines, and focus that got you there must remain if you want to sustain it.
I’ve learned this the hard way. Take weight loss, for example—a struggle I know too well. Dropping the pounds was one thing, but keeping them off required me to commit to the same disciplined practices long after the initial thrill of success faded. It’s the same in leadership. Earning trust through hard work and resilience is one thing; maintaining it demands you consistently show up with humility, integrity, and care.
James Clear’s “Atomic Habits” is an incredible resource for this. He breaks down how small, deliberate actions create a ripple effect of transformation over time. Success isn’t built in one big moment—it’s crafted in the quiet, unseen decisions you make every day.
Your Next Step
Ask yourself this: Where are you leaning on past persistence while neglecting the consistency that sustains it? Are you still doing the work, or have you let the edge dull?
