Consistency Wins The Day
If you’re a regular reader of this blog you’ll know that every year I say that for the vast majority of students, cramming is not the answer to exam success. In fact, in life generally, consistency wins the day over short bursts and fads.
Despite billions being spent around the world on the latest dieting programmes, most of us know that the path to steady weight, or weight loss if it’s your goal, comes from a consistent approach to nutrition. However, that takes willpower, determination and no shortage of consistency.
The fad approach usually leaves one worse off both financially and on the scales!
You’ve probably seen coverage of Wimbledon this year, with the women’s singles trophy being lifted by 27 year-old Simona Halep.
This was Halep’s 2nd grand slam victory but that wasn’t what captured my interest about this story. In winning the title, she defeated pre-match favourite, Serena Williams, who was attempting a record-equalling 24th grand slam title herself.
Not only has Halep defeated a legend while capturing the Wimbledon championship, she has done so while overcoming a number of challenges. In recent times she was regarded as a ‘choker’ after failing in 3 previous major finals.
That she was there at all says a lot about Halep’s fortitude and persistence. At 5 feet 8 inches tall, she is on the small side compared to many of the top players and was given little chance of coping with the power and strength of her top-flight opponents.
Yet, she has found a way to win using her own natural talents to full effect. Her ability to cover the court so adeptly, combined with the nullifying of her opponent’s power serve meant she was able to take rapid control of the match.
Halep went on to win 6-2, 6-2, crushing her opponent in under an hour.
As is so often the case in major triumphs, this event didn’t happen by chance. Years on the junior and senior circuits and countless hours on the training courts has resulted in this epic victory. Once again proving that consistency wins the day.
While it’s easy to look at this as a solo victory, there will have been an extensive support team both now and in the past. From coaches, to parents, training partners and physiotherapists, this Wimbledon victory is the culmination of thousands of hours of effort from all involved.
In a world where everything appears to be instant, or at least instantly available, it’s worth reminding ourselves there is little substitute for hard work and persistence. For those that reach the pinnacle of their dreams and ambitions, whether it’s sports, academia or professional aspirations, they do so as a result of grit and determination and no shortage of support.
For me though, I believe that to achieve anything worthwhile in life, it’s consistency that wins the day, again and again.
With this in mind, you will be best served, if you’ll pardon the pun, by engaging a tutor at the start of the academic year, rather than in the build up to exam season.
