How to harness the power of consistency

What the cyclical nature of the seasons can teach us about trust

Dear Rethinkers,

We’ve just had the first day of spring, so a very happy spring to you (if you live in the Northern Hemisphere). I’ve long been fascinated by the cyclical nature of the seasons because they run counter to our tendency to imagine our lives as linear. Spring, in all its beautiful glory, always shows up. For me it’s the arrival of light; the break of sun in hard blue sky. I’ve always found the arrival of new seasons tremendously reassuring. Like a steady heartbeat to the year. The cyclical nature of the season, beyond the symbolic, always reminds me of the power of consistency.

Most people need consistency in their lives more than they need intensity. It’s a point James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, makes beautifully:

“Intensity makes a good story. Consistency makes progress.”

When it comes to trust, there is something simple we tend to underestimate: the importance of consistency.

Think for a second about the most trusting relationships in your life: are they consistent or intense?

• The person who will always reliably show up.

• The person who remembers the small things that are important to you.

• The person who is great at little thoughtful gifts.

• The person who is very respectful of your time.

• The person who holds important things you’ve told them with care.

Smaller, positive things that happen consistently matter far more to people than intense, big gestures that happen occasionally.

Read on to find out why we often take consistency for granted, even though it’s one of THE most powerful ways to earn trust.