A lot has been said about consistency.  Parents are reminded frequently that one of the most important things they can do for their children is provide consistency. It provides stability and a sense of safety for a child.

We know that consistent exercise is more important than short bursts of activity in building strength and resilience.

Practice makes perfect is an idiom we hear over and over again as we grow up.  And it is true.  The longer we keep at something, the more consistent we are, the better and often bigger the pay off in our lives.

So why is it so hard to be consistent?  One reason is because we start big.  I’ve committed to running at least 5k every day only to quite after day three.  But when I decide to run 4 times a week I’m much more likely to be consistent and even exceed my goal.

I’m doing a lot of reading about social media and one of the lessons I’m learning through blogging and through reading is that if you want to establish a brand and a reputation online you need to be consistent.  One blog entry a week is easier and more realistic to maintain that a daily blog.  And if once a month is more realistic for you than start with that.  Just be consistent with it.

I’m reading Six Pixels of Separation by Mitch Joel.  It may take me two weeks to read it because there is so much practical advice in this book I keep stopping to consider how to make it work for me and for my clients.

Joel says, “Don’t blast out five pieces of content or join three online social networks and fade away.  Choose one, stick with it, and keep at it. Think about the classic fable and be more like the tortoise than hare. Slow and steady wins the race.  Advertising is the hare and this new social channel is the tortoise. “

I’m trying to be consistent with blogging.  My goal is to post once a week.  How about you? What is one small step you can be taking on a consistent basis to grow your audience?  Keep at it!