Consistency Outlives Applause

By: Jonathan Briscoe

“Greatness is not a function of circumstance. Greatness is largely a matter of conscious choice and discipline.” – Jim Collins

I recently attended the funeral of a close family member. What stood out to me wasn’t anything loud, but the consistency that showed up in every story. No one really talked about titles, accomplishments, or moments of recognition, although they were there to talk about. They talked about dependability. About integrity. About being the same person behind the scenes as they were in public. What stayed with me wasn’t a single moment, but the rhythm of a life. Someone who lived the same way on ordinary days as they did on important ones. It made me think about how much we overvalue applause and visible progress and how much we undervalue habits, especially in business and leadership. The truth is, most lives aren’t defined by what happens when everyone is watching, but by what’s repeated when no one is. So much of life is built in the unremarkable middle, the long stretch of days that don’t feel important at the time but end up defining everything. In banking, products change, rates change, and markets change but consistency compounds. It shows up in returning the call, telling the truth when it’s uncomfortable, thinking long term when short term looks tempting, and doing careful work when speed would be rewarded. Anyone can have a great moment, but very few people build a life that holds together over time. Legacy isn’t created by being impressive once; it’s created by being recognizable year after year. Applause fades fast, but patterns don’t. When the noise is gone, what people remember is the pace you kept, the standards you didn’t negotiate, and how you carried yourself through ordinary responsibility. Behind-thescenes work rarely feels meaningful while you’re doing it, but it adds up quietly, and long after the highlights are forgotten, it’s the part that still speaks. As we move into this year, the better question isn’t what big moments we’re chasing, but what daily patterns we’re willing to commit to? Is the way we live when no one is watching something we’d be proud to have remembered.