A Gentle Reminder About Progress

Progress isn't linear. Some days you'll climb the mountain, some days you won’t move at all, and some days you'll fall back down a little bit, but that's all part of the journey!

It's not about not failing, it's about how you react to your failures, learn a lesson, and continue on.

Progress is Not Linear

Progress was originally only a subject for the affirmation in my weekly newsletter, but I decided to expand on the topic when I couldn’t find what I was looking for. There were many overly positive, "I am progressing forward at all times" affirmations. However, I wanted the opposite: “I’m not progressing forward, but it’s okay,” or “I’ve moved backward but my worth hasn’t changed-” type of stuff. Maybe I wasn't looking it up quite right, or maybe no one wants to talk about how every day isn't going to feel like another step closer to your goal.

This is a common misconception that exists in the health and fitness industries: once you start your journey, the only way is up.

This idea that you’ll be seeing changes and results every day can be dangerous and detrimental to a lot of people’s well-being and personal journeys. It sets up unrealistic expectations that can easily cause people to give up and put them in a worse place, mentally and physically, than when they started.

In reality, progress isn’t linear. Every day won’t feel like a win. Whether you have days when you see no changes or notice some regression, these experiences are part of the journey.

The Difference Between failure and Capital-F-Failure

This is an important distinction! There’s nothing wrong with failing. I think people need to get used to the idea of failure and failing because it’s how we learn and grow.

I have a problem with Capital-F-Failure. The “I give up, I can’t do this, I never should have tried” Failure. We don’t learn or better ourselves after Failing, we just give up.

If you fail on your journey to reach a goal, you recognize that something isn’t working, accept the need to make changes, and continue. If you Fail, your journey comes to an end and you gain nothing.

I think the purpose of Failure as an end-all-be-all is to put people in a position where they’re forced to overwork or ignore with discomfort out of fear.

In reality, failure isn’t something we need to fear, but embrace. It’s an opportunity to discover more about yourself and the things that do and don’t work for you. 

Lack of Progress Isn’t a Sign of Capital-F-Failure

Now that we know the difference between failure and Failure, this will make a little more sense!

Stagnation, or even a little bit of regression, is all it takes for a lot of people to call it quits in the name of Failure. They tried but it’s too hard/takes too much time/can’t be done.

Respectfully, these people are wrong!

Stagnation and regression might be due to external factors, a temporary bump, or might be a sign that changes are needed, as discussed below. Regardless of why it’s happening, don’t worry, it’s not the end!

Lack of progress isn’t a death sentence to your goals.

Reevaluation

Faltering once doesn’t necessarily mean anything, but experiencing the same issue a few times might be a sign that it’s time to reevaluate. Whether you need to take another look at the goals you’ve set or rethink your schedule, there might be factors that aren’t working for you.

Stop, take a breath, and be honest with yourself: what exactly is causing you to fail? Why is this happening? What change can you make that is realistic and can help you push forward again?

Maybe you swore that you would start going to the gym at 5 am, but the early mornings just aren’t working for you. That’s okay! Don’t try to force yourself to do something you don’t actually want to do. Go later in the day, or try exercising at home. Without needing to drive to the gym or get ready, you’ll have a little extra time to sleep.

There’s almost always a solution to help you keep moving 

The Takeaway

Progress doesn’t mean constantly moving forward. There will always be days where you’re stagnant or slide backward just a little. These moments aren’t the end of your journey, but an opportunity to prove your belief in yourself, discover more about your needs, and persist.

There’s nothing wrong with failing, so long as you learn from it, rather than let it stop you.

If you want to talk more about progress, reevaluating your needs and goals, or the different kinds of failures, let me know!

Want to start your journey? Sign up for a free consultation with me to get started!

Photo by Sage Friedman on Unsplash