“Occasionally great vs consistently good…”

 

Shared by Breanne Smedley

There’s a big difference between these two descriptors.

I’ve known many people, players, and students who have demonstrated greatness, but lack that second, more important quality.

Consistency.

Lots of people can be great, every once in a while.

As a player, getting 30 kills in a match.  

As a learner, acing that particular project in at school or work.

As an athlete, crushing that workout and getting the “top score” at the gym.

As a leader, coming up with that one great initiative that gets your tribe inspired and engaged.

These are great. These things will get you noticed.

But the true test is, can they be sustained? Day in and day out, when the conditions vary.

I tell my players all the time, “I’d rather you be consistently good than occasionally great.”

It does our team no good in the long run if you can only perform well every once in a while.

When the passes are on when our setters and hitters are clicking. When the competition is weak.

It’s easy to achieve greatness in these conditions when things are going our way.

When we get along with our team at work, and produce high-quality projects.

When the workout favors our strengths, and we excel at it.

When those we lead buy in right away, and think our ideas are phenomenal.

It’s easy to be great in these conditions.

But what about when the passes aren’t on that night? And the setter is struggling to connect with you?

What about when you’re working with a group that doesn’t see eye to eye?

Or when the workout involves snatches and double-unders (my personal weakness right now!).

What about when those you lead don’t buy-in and are challenging you every step of the way?

These conditions are harder to perform in.

So, we have a choice.

We can be the person who performs poorly in these situations, and blames the circumstances.

That’s usually the player who tells me, “It’s not my fault I hit .000. The sets were off.”

Or when we tell ourselves, “That was a great idea that I had, if only I had a better team to back me.”

What’s hard is to find a way to do good work, even when the circumstances aren’t perfect.

Finding a way to be consistently good, despite the conditions.

This means ignoring and reframing the excuses.

Being creative.

Being a problem solver.

These things aren’t easy to do, but they will get you, and your team results.

Consistency equals dependability.

If I can depend on you, I can trust you.

And trust is a key foundation for any great team or relationship.

I notice occasionally great.

I’m impressed by consistently good.

 

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