I’ve been fretting about consistency for the past few days, triggered by a pot of polenta: Stir until smooth consistency is reached.
I try hard to be consistent in just about every area of my life. I show up on time (usually early). I do what I say when I say I’ll do it (and love others, especially vendors, who do the same thing). On the surface at least, I’m fairly unflappable EXCEPT when I’m dealing with change. My new heroine Rosabeth Moss Kanter assures me that my penchant for wallowing in dread when change is imminent is actually a good thing…see why I love her?
So, what’s the source of my latest angst? Finding the time to post to this blog! I’ve read all the suggestions (of course, I have; I learn by reading) about building an audience through regular posting, the etiquette of commenting on others’ posts and responding to the kind people who take the time to comment on your blog. I know the strategies and tactics of building community—I’ve watched and learned from masters!
But, another primary goal of this blog is to help me find my voice so I want this to be an enjoyable process, not drudgery. I’ve got to find a happy place where I write with satisfaction within a timeframe that works. If once a week is what I can do vs. my initial goal of twice a week, then that’s ok…it’s not like my audience is clamoring for more! J
Help me brainstorm good ideas for building audience and writing with satisfaction with limited time. Is it a standing weekly piece like my buddy APB does with his “Sunday feeling” post? Is it a quick link to an article I find interesting even though my interests range from well-written sports stories to philanthropy to mommy blogs? Is it something else entirely?
A Facebook friend posted, “The perfect is the enemy of the good,” as her status. She didn’t know it would be a powerful reminder: Let it go, Louie.
One of the things I've learned, slowly, is that the answer to many of life's questions is: It depends. Thomas Jefferson is credited with saying:
ReplyDelete"In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock."
So, in some things - like one's faith, hope, mercy, and love - consistency is a good thing. But in matters of taste, one should try something new, at least occasionally.
I have friends for whom dinner is meat and potatoes. They like it, and it is comfortable and comforting. But they have missed the joys of Indian and Ethiopian and other ethnic foods.
Sometimes you have to work to develop a taste for new things. But that small investment of energy has its rewards.
So is consistency a good thing? Yep, for those things that truly matter in life. And not so much for the temporal ones.