Someone close to me recently said, “I want to be disciplined like you.”

Funny enough, I never would have used that word to describe myself.

When I look back at the last several years, I see a story that’s always changing, often in ways that might seem random or even nonsensical to others.

I used to think that building new habits and sticking to them no matter what was the key to success.

But over the years, my perspective has shifted.

While consistency is important, I’ve realized it’s equally crucial to stay flexible and open to change when new situations arise.

Now, I believe that being adaptable and embracing growth is the real secret to thriving.

If you’re curious about finding the balance between staying consistent and being flexible, keep reading.

We often question our thoughts and actions, but there are two kinds we don’t: the ones we deeply believe in and the ones so familiar we never even consider questioning.

This is also true of behaviors, making it very important to hold great awareness of our conditioning, subconscious behaviors, and habits.

Finding the right balance between consistency and adaptability is the key to a successful, fulfilling life.

The Lost Art of Questioning

If you’ve ever spent time with a 4-year-old, you’re likely aware of their endless curiosity and stream of questions.

Often, a patient but exhausted adult might redirect them to another activity, subtly signaling that their inquiries aren’t welcome.

As these children grow and enter school, they encounter a structured environment where questioning is bound by several rules:

• The teacher is seen as an all-knowing guide. It’s rare to find a teacher who says, “I don’t know the answer, let’s discover it together.”
• Questions must be asked at specific times, maybe at the end of a lesson.
• The curriculum is set by unseen authorities and is not to be altered.

Through these experiences, many of us learn to curb our natural instinct to question everything, including our routines, habits, and patterns.

It’s important that we remain open to the possibility that what we are doing isn’t the best and become aware of our own self-inflicted limitations.

Asking is the Answer

Many of us have learned to curb our natural instinct to question everything, starting with our own habits, routines, and patterns.

We may have adopted these to improve our life, situations, and feelings.

I always like to assume that we do things for good reasons.

These activities were probably started to improve our life in some way, but those reasons may have expired long ago.

It is our job to stay aware of how we engage in life so that we can use time, energy, and resources for their greatest potential.