The Dark Side of Consistency: Steering a Parked Car

Consistency is often looked at as the secret ingredient to success, mastery, and progress. 

And in my opinion, it is.

Being consistent is hard. It requires discipline, effort, and resilience. Especially in the beginning. 

Show up every day, put in the work, and eventually, you’ll get what you want. 

It’s that simple, right?

No, not quite.. .

Because there is a shadow side to consistency.  

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What if you're doing the wrong thing, consistently? 

Or worse, what if you’re consistently doing nothing at all? 

Inaction, masked as consistency, is a silent killer of dreams.

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The reality is that consistency alone isn't enough — it’s what you're consistent with that matters. 

The dark side of consistency is truly the destroyer of dreams, progress, and success. 

The Story of Bob

Bob had all the potential in the world. 

He was motivated, eager, and hungry. 

Bob went to college. 

And Bob got a good job. 

It wasn’t his dream, but it paid the bills and offered him stability. 

For years, he fantasized about starting his own business—something creative, something that would bring him passion and fulfillment.

He’d often lie awake at night imagining what his life could be like if he just took the leap.

But every Monday, as he clocked into work, he’d tell himself, “Someday, I’ll be ready...”

The problem? Someday never came.

Bob stayed at his job year after year, always waiting for the “perfect time” to make the move. 

There were always reasons to hold off. “I’ll wait until I’ve saved a little more money,” he thought. “I’ll wait until the economy improves,” he said during downturns. “I’ll wait until my kids are older, until I’m less stressed, until I pay off the house,  until I’m more ready.”

Days turned into months, and months into years. 

By the time Bob hit his late 50s, he was still in the same job, still talking about his dreams—but he had done nothing to make them happen. 

Bob was consistent. He worked hard. He got paid well. He got promoted. He climbed the corporate ladder…

However, Bob spent the majority of his life doing something that he didn’t love. He didn’t love the majority of Monday’s, Tuesday’s, Wednesday’s, Thursday’s, or Friday’s. 

But hey, he was comfortable. 

He didn’t blow his brains out and he made an honest living. 

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Good for you Bob..

The consistency of action or better yet, inaction of waiting for ideal conditions, kept him from ever starting.

Bob’s dream remained just that: a dream. 

His story is all too common, and it illustrates the dark side of consistency.

He consistently told himself that “someday” he would act, but his inaction over time had become a habit—a habit that ultimately led to a life hardly worth telling. 

The Danger of Consistent Inaction

Bob’s story is a cautionary tale for anyone who’s waiting for the right time to act. 

The problem isn’t that he lacked dreams or ambition—it’s that he was consistent in not doing anything about them.

Consistency can just as easily apply to bad habits as it can to good ones. In Bob’s case, his habit was waiting for the perfect moment that never arrived.

Inaction, just like action, becomes a routine. 

The more you delay, the easier it becomes to keep delaying.

And over time, you build a pattern of waiting, telling yourself that your dreams can wait just a little longer. 

But as Bob’s story shows, the more you wait, the more likely it is that you’ll never take the leap.

Recognizing the Dark Side of Consistency

Bob’s story might hit close to home for you. We all have things we’ve wanted to do but haven’t taken action on. Whether it’s quitting a job, moving to a new city, starting a business, or simply pursuing a passion, the danger lies in letting time slip away while we remain inactive.

The dark side of consistency manifests itself in several ways:

• Waiting for perfect conditions: The belief that there’s a “right” time to act keeps you in a holding pattern.

• Fear of failure: The fear of taking risks can make you choose comfort over growth, keeping you stuck in inaction.

• Settling for safety: The longer you remain in a comfortable routine, the harder it becomes to break free and pursue something uncertain.

But the good news is, you can break free from this cycle. Here’s how.

6 Tactical Steps to Break the Cycle of Inaction

1. Stop Waiting for Perfect Conditions

There will never be a perfect time to chase your dreams. Life is full of uncertainty, and waiting for all the stars to align is a recipe for endless delay. Conditions will never be perfect, but that doesn’t mean you can’t act.

2. Learn Continuously

Sticking to the same playbook for too long can lead to failure. Commit to learning and evolving. Whether through books, mentorship, or online courses, never assume that what worked yesterday will work tomorrow.

3. Set a Deadline

One of the best ways to overcome inaction is to give yourself a deadline. When you have a date on the calendar, it forces you to move beyond the "someday" mindset. If Bob had set a firm deadline to quit his job and start his business, he might have avoided decades of procrastination.

4. Small Steps

Big dreams can feel overwhelming, which is why many people, like Bob, put them off indefinitely. But no goal is achieved overnight. Break them into smaller, actionable steps that you can work on one at a time.

5. Welcome Discomfort

Inaction often comes from a fear of leaving the comfort zone. Bob stayed in his job for decades because it felt safe. But growth doesn’t happen in comfort. You have to be willing to take risks, face uncertainty, and embrace discomfort if you want to achieve something greater.

5. Reflect on the Cost of Inaction

The price of doing nothing is steep. Bob lost years of potential joy, fulfillment, and success by not acting. If you find yourself stuck in inaction, take time to reflect on the long-term cost of staying where you are.

Just do it

There’s nothing better than Nike’s slogan. Tattoo it on your forehead if you need to. 

Stop talking about it. Be about it. 

Waiting for the perfect moment is the enemy. 

If you catch yourself waiting for circumstances to be “just right,” remind yourself that action breeds momentum. 

You can always course-correct along the way, but you can’t steer a parked car.

Consistency is a double-edged sword. When applied wisely, it’s one of the most powerful forces for achieving success. 

But when used carelessly — either through bad habits or inaction — it becomes a silent destroyer of potential. 

Remember, it’s not just about being consistent — it’s about being consistent with the right things.

Own the Process, 

Tim 

Author of Mastery Monday

Student & Founder