Typically, we consider consistency to be a good thing.
We want employees who are reliable. We want business partners who stick to their word. We want friends that we can count on.
In fact, we desire consistency so much that if someone continually displays erratic behavior, then we may categorize them as having some type of mental illness.
The Danger of Consistency
Most of the time, our desire for consistency makes sense.
In general, consistent action leads to positive outcomes. If we exercise consistently, then our health is better. If we communicate consistently, then our relationships are better. If we smile consistently, then our attitude is better.
But there are two sides to every coin, and consistency can also keep us in undesirable situations.
Perhaps the most dangerous aspect of our love affair with consistency is that we often keep ourselves in unfavorable circumstances because we convince ourselves that being consistent is the right thing to do.
This phenomenon often rears its ugly head in relationships. Stay with someone for a long time and it’s easy to convince yourself to “stick it out” and stay consistent, even if you know it’s the wrong thing to do. In other words, staying in the same relationship is easy and so we rationalize it by telling ourselves that we are being consistent.
Now relationships aren’t the only area where this happens, of course. Quite often, we make the same error when it comes to our careers, our businesses, and our professional lives.
The following quote summarizes the problem…
Once we have made up our minds about an issue, stubborn consistency allows us a very appealing luxury: We really don’t have to think hard about the issue anymore.
We don’t have to sift through the blizzard of information we encounter every day to identify relevant facts; we don’t have to expend the mental energy to weigh the pros and cons; we don’t have to make any further tough decisions.
Instead, all we have to do when confronted with the issue is to turn on our consistency tape … and we know just what to believe, say, or do. We need only believe, say, or do whatever is consistent with our earlier decision.
—Robert Cialdini
Read that quote again.
The danger of consistency is that we blindly follow it.
In many cases, we use consistency as a shortcut for actual thought. You are witnessing blind consistency in action when you hear the phase, “because we’ve always done it that way.”
Consistency becomes particularly troublesome when we use it to follow decisions that were initially good, but are no longer relevant.
You see, most of the time humans are pretty smart. We often make the right decision based on the initial circumstances.
Over time, however, things change. Our initial thoughts, feelings, and reasons are no longer relevant, but we continue to follow them anyway because we want to remain consistent with our previous decision.
Additionally, following our past decisions allows us to avoid facing the difficulties of change. We don’t have to contemplate new decisions. Instead, it is easier to create new justifications for why we should follow our previous plan of action.
And that’s the real rub.
We think that we have new reasons for why we should continue with our previous decision. In reality, however, we are simply inventing new reasons to stay consistent. These new justifications would never have been enough to drive us towards that type of action in the first place.
Safeguarding Against Consistency
Now that we know the dangers consistency can provide, let’s discuss a way to avoid such pitfalls.
The best way to safeguard against the ill–effects of consistency is to continually take stock of our situation and circumstances.
Is maintaining your current behavior the best decision for your current circumstance?
Just because it was the right job for you five years ago doesn’t mean it’s the right job for you today.
Just because it was the right way to treat your customers 12 months ago doesn’t mean it’s the right way to treat them today.
Just because it was the right business for you to start then doesn’t mean it’s the right business for you to manage now.
Times change, situations change, and so must your decisions and actions. Are you doing the same things without thinking about why?
I’m not saying that what you’re doing is wrong. I’m just asking you to think about why you’re doing it.
Maybe it was the best choice then. Is it still the best choice now?
Sounds like there’s need for a careful balancing act. The reliablity of a consistent behavior balances with the need for change to prevent total boredom. What did you do before Passive Panda?
Thanks for reading Paula … and I agree, balance is critical.
p.s. You’ll find more on Passive Panda and my background here: http://passivepanda.com/about
I consistently click on links in Passive Panda’s email newsletter.
Now I’m never going to do THAT again!
Oh wait, then I would be consistently ignoring this newsletter?
Maybe the answer is that we need to consistently THINK more about what we do. That seems like a good idea
Hahaha. Like I said, some things you need to do consistently. (Like clicking those links!)
But seriously, great point on thinking about what we do. Thanks for reading, Robby.
I once said to a friend, I need to find balance! This friend lifted their hand out between us, in a perfect straight “salute” kind of way, and asked “is this what you want?”. Then I realized… I can’t live in a perfect routine… Reality is, it’s not me. I love the teeter totter!
I like the teeter-totter example. Life is always a balancing act.
I guess everyone explains consistency in his/her own way. I remember a spy story I heard long time ago. Someone worked for the U.S. government as a spy, but also worked for the Soviet Union, when he was asked about his double-sided faith he answered, ” but my father and my grand-father were both dual spies.” So there’s a consistency here too.
I don’t see consistency as a problem, but I do think that complacency is dangerous.
“I don’t see consistency as a problem, but I do think that complacency is dangerous.”
Agreed. I think you said it all in that one sentence.
What is the best I can do today? Do I need to do this or that? How to approach this issue? etc…
A nice proverb that may answer some questions:
“Commitments are made in concrete. Plans are made in sand.”
I like it! Stand by your word, but live with flexibility.
James:
What a timely post. I came across this quote today:
“Success is dangerous. One begins to copy oneself, and to copy oneself is more dangerous than to copy others. It leads to sterility.” – Pablo Picasso
I read it to mean (among other things) is that even when we find something that works, it doesn’t mean it’s always going to work.
As you point out, things are always changing, so we have to keep a feedback loop going, changing what what’s emerging (from us) in response to what’s coming in (from others and our surrounding circumstances).
In sum, there’s a huge difference between what works and what used to work. We have to stay current.
Great post. Very well written and thought out.
Susan
Good to hear from you, Susan. I’m glad you enjoyed the post. And thanks for the wise quote from Picasso.
I think you’re absolutely right. We always need to evolve and push ourselves.
The way you reply to everyone who comments here is definitely the best practice of a blogger. Stay consistent this way.
Thank you for all your great posts. They are very helpful to me.
Thanks Arthur! Glad you’re enjoying the site.
Fantastic post as usual, and I agree, great reply from everyone who commented. It’s brilliant and refreshing to find well-written and interesting blogs these days
Glad you enjoyed the article, Melisa. I’ll do my best to keep the good stuff coming your way.
“Because we’ve always done it that way” never fails to frustrate me as an answer, and amuse me when it’s followed by rationalisations which support the position, but bear no relation to the current reality.
Consistency is one more slippery way into the trap of the process becoming more important than the outcome!
This article is a helpful warning!
Thanks Will. I think the key point of your frustration is that the processes “bear no relation to the current reality.” As others have mentioned, consistency is good … as long as you’re being consistent on the right stuff. It’s always good to take stock and make sure that you’re doing the right thing for the current situation.
Thanks for reading.
I like the idea of “continually take stock of our situation and circumstances.”
Since we are always accustomed to what we do and reluctant to take the adventure to change. But this is a world full of uncertain situation for us to adjust to.
In my opinion, it is never to late to change.
I like that attitude! Thanks for reading.
Great post, thanks James.
Glad you found it useful!
So…
Be consistently inconsistent?
Hahaha… Exactly. Always be questioning.
Beautiful. Thank you.
I think there is one other problem with consistency, and the quote from Picasso makes a good point of that. If we continue doing something one way, even if we are successful, it can eventually kill our creativity. We need change so we could stay creative.
Here is another one from Steve Jobs:
“I didn’t see it then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life.”
Thanks for another thoughtful post!
Doing the same things over and expecting different results was coined by Albert Einstein as the definition of insanity. But this is the trap we all fall into. My reccomendation is to try sonethjng new every day. It only takes small steps, for example, take a different route to the store or walk to the coffe shop instead of drive. This will also open the doors to new opportunities.