Most people need consistency and predictability in their lives.
That's why most people aren't entrepreneurs or business owners.
In the world of business, being predictable can be very dangerous.
Because when you're predictable, your competition knows exactly what you do and how you do it.
Armed with this knowledge they can easily sabotage your plans, take your customers and put you out of business.
That's why you have to be unpredictable.
You must always be thinking of new products and/or services you can bring to market.
You have to find new ways to engage your customers and keep prospects' interested.
You must be innova­tive in disguising your methods and keeping your competitors off-balance.
Because if your competition knows what you're next move is, then they can easily make plans to counter you.
But if they haven't got a clue, your chances of survival will greatly increase.
In fact, the more unpredictable you are, the more frustrated your competition will become.
And they'll spend their time trying to work out your next move, rather than planning their own.
A quick look at the world of sport clearly demonstrates the importance of being inconsistent.
For example, great football/soccer managers always change their team formations and strategy throughout the game.
By doing this, they make it harder for the opposing team to defend against their attacks or exploit their weaknesses.
This is often the difference between winning and losing.
Right now -- even as you're reading this -- your competitors are planning new ways to exploit your weak­nesses.
If you're consistent and predictable, sooner or later they're going to get you.
And when they do, it's going to hurt.
An over-reliance on consistency has been the death of many businesses.
For example, let's say you're a retail company with a sizeable share of the market.
Every year, starting from Boxing Day, you have an end of year sale offering 20% discount off all items.
This sale is the most profitable time of year for you.
And your competition knows this too.
So one year they decide to take advantage of your predictability and offer their own 20% discounted end of year sale.
However, your competitions sale starts two days before Christmas -- the busiest shopping period of the year.
And because this is inconsistent with what they've done in the past, you don't find out about this sale until close of business on Boxing Day.
By then your takings -- starting from the 23rd of December -- are much lower than they've ever been for years.
Predictability can hurt your relationship with customers too; because when they realise that your products, services and marketing strategies are always the same, sooner or later they might get bored and go elsewhere.
Remember, your customers are only loyal as long as they feel you're able to give them what they want and need.
And because wants and needs are always changing, a certain amount of variation is essential to keep existing customers and attract new ones.
So be aware that no matter how great your initial idea, if you remain predictable, eventually your competition will take advantage of your weakness and your customers will get bored.
Then you'll pay the price for your consistency.
Do something different.
Be unpredictable.