Consistent and Average

I love the story of traithlete, Gwen Jorgensen, who won gold in Rio 2016. In the Triathlete Magazine article, Behind Gwen Jorgensen's Four-Year Journey to Gold, her husband was asked what sets her apart from other athletes. His answer is striking, because he didn't talk about her having extraordinary, superhuman preparation and performances. His answer was actually quite profound in its simplicity.

Average Every Day

"Gwen doesn’t show up every day and produce excellence, she just shows up every single day with a focus...excellence in consistency has been her biggest strength." He also said that she works to be "average every day." Gwen didn't believe that she had to have an excellent performance in any race. Even going into the Olympics, she didn't think she had to be perfect or have the performance of her life. "She’s backed herself in consistency and knows 'if I just do what I’m supposed to do, that will be enough.' That’s been her focus the last four years—where average could get the job done."

Consistent Improvement

Think about that. This Olympic champion focused on consistency, knowing that would be enough. She understood that excellence is a product of consistency. And by showing up and making tiny gains every day, she produced a level of excellence that ultimately earned her Olympic gold.

What is Your Average

Every day we have the opportunity to make small gains. Reliance on willpower, emotions, and motivation is not necessary. We simply need to show up and put in the work for the things that matter. Having a consistent routine allows us to make those small, incremental gains. We don't need to be amazing. We need to be consistent in our efforts to improve our average. And that will be enought to "get the job done."

Enjoy your average day!