The number one factor in growing your business and achieving your goals is consistency. A half ass plan done consistently will run circles around a great plan performed inconsistently.

In my business of Internet Marketing/Network marketing, without question the #1 reason people fail is lack of consistency. They start for a week or two. or a month or two, full of optimism and determination - but shortly thereafter, when the positive feelings disappear and doubt creeps in - you find reasons not to spend the hour or two making calls, creating content, going to the team meeting.

Who hasn't gone on that diet to lose 20 pounds, lost a few, then for whatever reason - that we can't even remember - stopped eating better, exercising, and a year later nothing's changed? Everybody's been there.

In developing my own consistency in Business, getting in shape, accomplishing my goals, I've noticed three keys that when implemented have kept me on track. Hopefully they'll help you as well.

#1 Key to developing Consistency - Setting a Written Goal and Creating a Plan

#1 Key to developing Consistency - Setting a Written Goal and Creating a Plan

The first key when accomplishing anything is creating a specific goal, with an end date, and developing a plan to accomplish it.

Your goal is the end result, a specific result like "I will weigh 200 lbs". It MUST be written down, not floating around in your head, and it must have an end date.

Your plan for accomplishing your goal must be written down, with milestones along the way to judge your progress, and have daily actions you are to perform to accomplish your goal. If your goal is to lose 20lbs in 3 months then your actions may be exercise 20-30 minutes 6 days per week, and eat a maximum of 2000 calories per day - something along those lines.

Your plan does not need to be set in stone. It will likely change, especially if your goal is business oriented. Most plans don't last a week - but that's fine. Adjust your plan, adjust your daily actions and keep going. Stick to the process.

#2 Key to developing Consistency - Develop a Routine

Human beings are creatures of habit. Over time we develop routines even if we don't realize it. We do the same actions every day without even thinking about it.

When I was going to college I had to drive 30 minutes to get there every day. I traveled the exact same route every day for years. After the first year I'd notice I couldn't remember driving to or from school when I tried to think about it. It had become so familiar, so ingrained, it was totally subconscious. Who knows what I was day dreaming about while driving but it certainly wasn't driving. It was routine, done without thought.

Develop positive consistent routines and being successful in whatever endeavor you wish will become automatic. Things you cringe at doing now like making sales calls, writing content, exercising, eating right - will become natural and easy. Your success will be on autopilot. That's a great thought!

Try and do the same actions every day at the same time. There will be an adjustment period of a few weeks to a few months, but it gets easier over time. Consistency is key :)

#3 Key to developing Consistency - Staying Consistent EVEN When You Don't Feel like It

This is the biggy. This is where everyone falls off the wagon. Consistency requires you to perform your daily written plan even when you don't feel like it! Especially when you don't feel like it. And YOU'RE NOT GOING TO FEEL LIKE IT A LOT!

When you don't feel like doing something your mind will create every excuse in the book to convince you NOT to do it. And it's very good at it. But, you MUST do it anyway.

The good news is the reluctance goes away the moment you start. Just by starting your 80% of the way to finishing cause just starting is the key. Keep this in mind. When you don't feel like it, just start. Say to yourself "I'm only going to do 5 minutes and if I still don't want to, I can stop then" but once you start the reluctance goes away and completing the task becomes natural and you finish.

Every act of just starting and then finishing, especially when you don't feel like it, ingrains that habit and gives the sense of accomplishment that your one step closer to accomplishing your goal. And you are.