The 3 Ingredients You Need to Win at Anything

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Grit, guts, belief​, hard work, smart work, action, and a number of other things are needed on the path to success.  But, there are 3 ingredients that I believe are most important and essential.  They have been proven time and time again to be the key aspects of the winner's quality.

Each of them by itself makes a major difference, but all 3 together make you unstoppable.

Discipline

Discipline is your ability to manage yourself and do the things you need to do to succeed and win.  It is one of the hardest ingredients for people to do.  Discipline takes sacrifice.  It takes overcoming your own mind's conditioning, habits, and the inertia of life.  It means doing things when you really, really don't want to or feel like doing them - no matter what.  Whether you are sick, hurt, on vacation, whatever; your ability to maintain your discipline and routines and what you know you need to do to succeed cannot falter.  

It may not sound like fun when described that way, but that is what it takes.  And it really is fun.  When Michael Phelps got in the pool on Christmas Day for 4 hours of training, he knew that it was this discipline and the actions he was taking right then and there that were the difference at the finish line.  The difference between winning and losing.  And that energized him and fired him up.  How about you?  Can you up your game when it comes to your discipline?

Consistency

The next ingredient goes hand in hand with discipline is consistency.  You can be disciplined - for one day.  But that isn't going to give your what you need to win.  You have to be consistent.  Every day.  Consistency is what breaks down barriers and wears out competition.  It is how you outlast - even if you are not as talented.  Those that are consistent in their routines, in the quest, and who they are win.  Period.

Ask yourself, "Am I consistent in the way I approach my success?  Can I count on myself to always be there and stay the course?"  If you are honest with yourself, it may surprise you and also show you some things you may need to change.  Just remember, consistency is key to lasting success.

Persistence

Alongside having solid discipline and an unwavering consistency, you must be persistent.  How does being persistent differ from discipline and consistency?  Well, discipline is what you you do.  Consistency is how you do it.  And persistence is your commitment to doing it.   As mentioned above, you can be disciplined and consistent for one day, a week, a month, etc.  But persistence is your unwavering commitment to keep going in spite of challenge, fear, emotion, and all obstacles that come your way.  

Many people can be disciplined and consistent for a short time, but when they come into real, serious adversity, they stop or give in.  This is where your commitment, your persistence pays off.  You will keep going where others fail or give up.

Have you ever given up on anything?  Have you thought and considered what would have happened if you persisted through?

When you put them all together,  you can see why they are the critical ingredients they are.  If you have discipline to do the things you need to succeed and are consistent each and every day in doing them...and then persist through any adversity that comes up as you are going, you will win.  And you will win consistently.  Take some time and look at your life and see where you can add more discipline and consistently.  And then always remember that when you encounter a challenge, your ability to persist through gets you one step closer to your goal and keeps you winning over and over again.