Balls of Steel™: The Power of Consistency

Success. We could talk all day about what that means—and I’ve written about “What is Success?” many times—but maybe the more important question is, “What makes someone successful?”

Let’s look at the genius artist, Henri Matisse. Some of his greatest work was created in his final years, after suffering from a debilitating surgery for cancer. Some would have given up, but not Matisse.

He explained, “Why have I never been bored? For more than fifty years I have never ceased to work.”

I don’t proclaim to know what motivated Matisse to pick up his brushes every day for fifty years, but one can speculate. A drive for perfection. A hunger to learn. A passion for creating something of meaning, each piece of art more elevated than the last.

Fifty years of consistency birthed masterpieces now lining museum walls.

When talking about a creative’s routine, we often hear declarations of only being able to create “when the muse strikes” or we joke about writers never showering and wearing the same clothes for a week, just waiting for that muse to knock on the door.

But the magical knock never comes. The pages remain blank. They wait for mythical inspiration.

So, I ask, how long are you going to wait?

Let me tell you how successful writers really work. They have intense curiosity, not only about the world, but also about story, characters, and the ache to emotionally move people. They are passionate about sharing their unique perspective—so passionate that they are willing to work years on just one project.

Did you watch The Queen’s Gambit miniseries? Well, get ready, kids … Allan Scott, the screenwriter who adapted it, pushed for 30 years to get that project made, writing countless drafts to adapt Walter Tevis' novel.

Quentin Tarantino took 10 years to make Inglourious Basterds. Sure, he made other films during that time, but he never gave up on that project.

Callie Khouri wrote Thelma and Louise in 1979, and it was finally released in 1991, winning her the Best Original Screenplay Oscar—the first time a solo-woman screenwriter won since Frances Marion in 1932.

Gone with the Wind, 10 years. Les Miserable, 12 years. The Lord of the Rings, 17 years. I could fill another 1,000 words with “and then this movie/book took X years …” but you get the point.

Being consistent in your routine is key.

It’s not just writing that requires consistency. Everything does. Take exercise, for example. Starting is the hardest, but once you stay consistent, the endorphins kick in, you get a little addicted, and you see your muscles take shape, which encourages you to keep going. Before you know it, you’re in the best shape of your life.

But what happens if you slack off? Wow, does the middle jiggle come back fast! In order to not lose the progress of your previous hard work, you must be consistent.

However, it’s easier to be consistent when you’re enjoying the ride. Once writing becomes a grind, and you’re not finding joy in the work, you’re doomed. And the longer it takes to break in, the easier the frustration takes over, taunting you to quit altogether.

With the post-strike contraction, I’ve seen so many writers complaining on socials … “Why bother?” Well, only you can answer that question.

What does writing mean to you? Maybe putting words on the page is like a meditation of sorts. Or perhaps you dream of holding that book with your name on the cover. Or seeing your name on the big (or small) screen with the word “writer” adorning it. Or perhaps you have a thematic message you want to share with the world and don’t care about fame or money.

Whatever it is, finding joy in the process is critical. You can’t be consistent if the process has become a slog. Every day, remind yourself of WHY you want to be a writer. Remember that label of “writer” … and act like one. Gentle reminder, you are not a writer if you do not write.

Maybe this quote will help …

Or this one …

Consistency. Curiosity. Commitment.  

There’s something else that’s important, too. This one is the toughest of all … honesty.

Do you truly believe you deserve to achieve your dreams?

Read that again, and sit with it. Above all, you have to believe in yourself. Tune out everyone else’s expectations of you and set your own expectations. What YOU want is all that matters.

Once you figure that out, give yourself the grace and time to go after your dreams. It’ll take work. A lot of work. There will be tears, rejection and pain, but even Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz had hardships on the Yellow-Brick Road. In the end, she realized she was the one who always had the power.

So do you.  

The question is, what are you going to do with it?