Consistency and Precision: The Real Secret to Success
Before a meal hits your table in a top-notch restaurant, the chef isn’t just looking at how
it tastes — they’re checking for consistency. How does it look? How does it feel? Is it the
same as the last plate they served?
In the green industry, one of my team members calls it the “credit card slot” — that
perfect, clean line of edging along the turf and sidewalk. It gives the turf that pop of
tightness and being manicured. Using a edger, not line trimmer, to create a tight crisp
line.
There’s no big secret here. As Robert Collier once said, “Success is the sum of small
efforts, repeated day in and day out.” Success in life and work isn’t magic. It’s about
being consistent and precise, not just guessing and hoping for the best.
In the trade, success comes down to working smarter, not harder. It’s about knowing
how to get from point A to point B with efficiency. Whether it’s getting that plated dish or
making sure the lawn is edged correctly — it’s all about learning the steps in your
profession, practicing until they become second nature, and using the tools at your
disposal to get the job done. That’s precision.
If you know the steps, now you must be consistent in making sure these happen in the
field. You train your people. You show them others who are doing it at the high level you
expect, but you never give up trying. If you accept poor work, your standards are lowered and
consistency and precision are lost.
Jim Rohn once said, “Successful people don’t do extraordinary things; they do ordinary
things extraordinarily well.” And that’s the real secret to success. It’s:
-The same skills that build trust and help you make progress in your personal life.
-It’s not about luck — it’s available to everyone if you put in the work.
-It’s about working smarter, not harder — by using your time, tools, and planning
to your advantage.
-And it comes from steady, focused effort — honing that precision and
consistency every day.
So, do you know the how to meet the expectations? The secret is simple: be consistent,
be precise, and keep training and showing your team. There’s no secret to it. Just the
willingness to show up and do the work.
Always choose great over good,
Jeff
