consistency can change your life

Dear you,

I took some time off, and it is one of the best decisions I have made in 2023. One of my promises to you in my time-off note was to share more, and I was overthinking how I would execute it when I came across Josh2Funny's video on America's Got Talent, and it was all the inspiration I needed.

Let me give you context.

Josh Alfred, a.k.a Josh2Funny, is a Nigerian comedian who has created many skits and characters on social media and had many viral moments. Six [6] years ago, he started a series called "The Audition", where he presented different talents in a talent show he created. He would invite guest judges [2 of his friends] to appraise his "ridiculous" talents. They were funny, and he got a few views. In 2017 and 2018, he filmed 20 episodes and published them. Almost every year, he puts some content episodes out. You can watch one of the first episodes below:

Eleven [11] months ago, he released an episode called "The fastest reader in the world". It went viral. I watched this video with Bae many times and sent it to some friends. I even shared it on IG. It was really ridiculous in a way that made it funny. It had "share-value". If you watched it and got it, you'd feel the need to share it with someone. He even trended then. He went on and created spin-offs: The fastest rapper in the world, the strongest man in the world, fastest writer in the world, and many more. He also brought in guest comedians and key influencers [actors, musicians, reality stars] to be judges on his show, where he was the only talent. The collaboration brought a wider reach, but the "fastest reader in the world" episode got millions of views. Watch it below:

This morning, while brushing my teeth, Bae said, "Why is Josh2Funny trending". He knew I was a big fan of Josh and loved his approach to comedy. Next, he sent me a video of Josh2Funny at America's Got Talent Season 18, Episode 10.

When I started watching it, I thought it was a marketing gimmick in line with his "ridiculous" comedy. The judges were confused by how ridiculous it was, but they laughed. He returned to the stage 3x, as three different contestants, in line with his series "The Audition", where he is the only person with multiple talents. On AGT, he had real judges, but he was not afraid to be ridiculous because he had done this many times before. There was nothing they could say to him that could have broken his spirit. At the end of the video, the audience was rooting for him, the judges were showering him with compliments, he got social proof. Simon Howie, Sofia, Heidi were shocked by his ridiculousness but they complimented him for being funny, and that's all he needed, because his real talent is - comedy.

The world has discovered him on a different level, he is trending on Twitter, his YouTube subscribers are growing, his Instagram followers are growing, press platforms are writing about him, and when you check Google Josh2Funny AGT comes up top. More people around the world are curious about him, and when they land on his YouTube page, they will find hundreds of videos to keep them entertained. 

While people may just be finding out about him, he has been on this consistently for at least six years. He didn't have to show up every single day. He just had to show up in the way he had promised, releasing seasons every year, and it all added up. Of all the videos, one had 6M views; one had 24K. Six years ago, it wasn't even 24K. It was probably lower. However, those videos with smaller views made room for videos that eventually got millions. His consistency paid off. I don't know how he pulled it off, but he definitely pulled it off! I don't know if AGT producers contacted him to prank the judges, and he was probably paid for it. I don't know, but whether or not it was organic or paid, it was a win, and it was inspiring. 

He reminded me about what I have always known about consistency. People may not see the hard work you have put in when you start, but one year or more later, those seeds will make way for you. It made me think of my favourite series like Game of Thrones, Billions, Black Mirror, Grey's Anatomy, and many others. The promise they make once, to show up every year until the end. The joy the fans feel when a new season is coming. Long-term commitments are worth it! And watching Josh today was so inspiring. If we really want our lives to change, maybe the key is consistency: showing up before the audience and opportunities come.

The question I asked myself, and I am also posing to you now: what is one thing you want to do consistently for the next 5 or 10 years? What would I discipline myself to do, even when motivation runs low? What will you dedicate the next five years to showing up for even when the times are not ideal?

Think about it... think.

With Love,

Blessing Abeng.

Side bar: I want to write you a letter every single day [except Sunday] for the next 15 days to exercise my consistency muscle. Tell me what you would like me to write about in the comment section. Also, if this letter inspired you, share it or tag someone who needs to read it.