The True Power in WILLPOWER

This word has been in my field all year, but in the last month it's been front and center. The word is simple, "conformity in the application of something," is the short definition, and when applied to the learning of a skill, the success of a business, or the progress of health – consistency is the 'X Factor.'

It is the foundation for all things – it is our breath and our heartbeat, it is the sunlight that makes plants grow.

When we want to make a change in our life, we often take on more than we can chew, whether it's exercising, diet, meditation, or even career; if you remodel your life completely from the way it looks now, it will likely not be a sustainable remodel.

In our nutrition world we say "one simple change" at a time. Add more water for 21 days, and focus just on that. Add in a 2-mile walk for 21 days, and focus just on that. Why? Because it takes 21 days to create a habit. Mike Dooley and Deepak Chopra have made the 21-day course part of their foundation for education.

And in that foundation, lies the method of consistency. Daily, concerted action towards the creation of a new habit, and ultimately, a new you.

So this fall, take a look at your 4th quarter goals and intentions, pick one that you can chunk down into 21-day changes, and then focus on one change at a time, doing so for just 5 minutes a day.

Consistency is the true power in willpower.