Clarity and Consistency – Part 2
“We can’t be anything we want. We were put here for a reason and it’s our job to discover what that is and become it.”
-Steven Pressfield, The War of Art
When we are clear about our intentions… we understand that undertaking [manifesting that intention] is directly aligned to fulfilling our purpose.
Hey there Legacy Leaders,
Good to have you back. I missed you. Hope you had a great last week. I am looking forward to the one ahead.
If you are just joining us, I’ve been spending some time talking about clarity and consistency. This is the third installment in the discussion, which I believe lays the foundation for much of my work.
Clarity and consistency in my opinion are critical to success – whether individual, organizational, communal, social, or global. Without clarity and consistency, I don’t think we can achieve harmony and balance, or thrive as a people.
Previously, I noted the importance of clarity and consistency in helping us stay on track with our goals. Then I noted how we can go about gaining clarity. Today, I want to talk about consistency.
As I noted in Clarity and Consistency – Part 1, you can have clarity without consistency but you cannot be consistent if you aren’t clear. Essentially, this is because when we are clear about our intentions and our direction, we have not only made up our minds about what we want to do but we understand that undertaking this task is directly aligned to fulfilling our purpose.
Whereas many people think that consistency is hard, it is actually clarity that is harder to attain. Once you are clear consistency becomes easy. Allow me to show you what I mean.
Florence Scoven Shinn, author of The Game of Life and How to Play It, suggests that there are four pillars upon which every human being builds his or her life: health, wealth, love and perfect self-expression. She insists that in order for people to feel fulfilled in their lives, they must achieve harmony all four of these areas. If and when this balance is achieved, it is called Four Square Harmony.
In my work, I teach people based on these four pillars; the last of which I split into passion and purpose to help simplify the ways in which we often express ourselves.
Let’s suppose you are someone who is clear in your intentions and have decided that you are ready to embark on the journey of achieving your goal, you will now need to be consistent.
HEALTH
For many of us, it’s getting our bodies into better shape, so I’ll go with that. If you haven’t made up your mind, then you are likely to yo-yo between good and bad habits for a while – perhaps indefinitely. Without clarity, you are bound to find excuses, um, I mean reasons, why things aren’t working.
A made-up mind is different. When you gain clarity on your health, and how optimal health (for you) can enhance your ability to complete your mission and fulfill your life’s purpose, you won’t give up. Notice, I didn’t say you’ll get everything perfect – but you will keep trying. You will get back on the horse, and you will begin to take note of what isn’t working and supplement it with thoughts, deeds and interactions that better serve you.
WEALTH
You want to make more money, start your own business, get out of debt, or pay off those students loans? Maybe you want to do all of the above. When you’re unclear, you self-sabotage. You overspend or under-charge and you NEVER ask for what you’re worth.
Clarity will knock all of that out the door. You may not know exactly how to do what you want, but you’ll begin to seek out those who do. You’ll ask for help and heed the advice you’re given. The choices you make may be different from the ones you’re used to, but they fuel you and fulfill you. In time – and usually a very short time – you start to feel much better about what you’re doing because you see how financial wisdom can only strengthen your progress. It’s not about how much you have, but how well you handle it.
LOVE (This one is my favorite)
Being unclear in love often results in stifled relationships – romantic, platonic, professional, familial and so on. Interestingly enough, though, it stems from a lack of self-like. When you are unclear about who you are and why you’re here, it’s likely that you won’t like yourself. You blame yourself for your lack of innovation and ingenuity. All you want is to be meaningful and useful, to do…something. The thing about self-like, though most of us would hate to admit it, is that it tends to come from external validation.
Clarity in love means understanding that there is always a Source of external love and validation giving you a reason to like yourself. And when you like yourself you realize just how interesting and innovative you are, which gives you the freedom to continue being so. You find yourself being consistently grateful, hopeful, optimistic, jovial, and LOVING. Suddenly, it seems like the more you give the more you have to give. The more you give the better you feel, which makes you want to give more. Soon, you are in a consistent state of giving and feeling good about giving because – in your state of clarity – you know that you are always receiving.
PERFECT SELF-EXPRESSION
Without a basic understanding of what makes you tick, you can find yourself doing things that make you feel good, or make other people feel good, or make other people feel good about you even though you feel miserable. Some of us will even excel at these things. We’ll do things we’re great at, but rather than feel like a superstar you’ll feel super-stagnant. You become resentful and uncertain. If I’m this good it must be a gift, I must be meant to do this. So why I am so tired and restless…and bored?
With clarity comes capacity. You see things differently and you understand that just because you’re good – or even great – at something, doesn’t mean you’re meant to do it. Instead, you become determined to set aside time to do what feeds your soul. As you become clearer, you’ll become protective of your time, space and energy. You’ll be more selective about those you hang around – sure to exclude those who sap your energy or refuse to accept the new direction your life is taking. Little by little, you will commit yourself to exploring your passions and fulfilling your purpose. It might be a business, a ministry, a blog. Regardless of how you do it, you won’t let too much time pass without making it part of your life because you know now that it isn’t just about you. You become consistently consistent. 😉
So, you see, clarity and consistency truly are the foundations for a life of love and legacy. No matter what you’re going to do, the first then is to get clear. Then enact your plan and be consistent.
I’d love to hear from you. Are you already living a life of clarity and consistency? Are you just getting started? Leave your comments below.
Until soon Legacy Leaders,
Iscis