Slowly but Surely

As much as we may hate to admit, slow and steady often does win the race. When I want to see results, I get eager to see them immediately – I sometimes have a hard time respecting the process required to become better or more skilled. While it may be stressful to keep patient, it’s necessary for growth and development to allow the natural process to play out, as it should.

We’ve all likely have come across the expression “Two steps forward, and one backward.” It may prove to be annoying but often times, it’s exactly correct. When we explore a new boundary or try something new, we may get nervous, uncomfortable, or we’re simply inexperienced with the present situation. It’s normal to have setbacks on the road to success. A setback can’t be seen as a failure – it’s simply a natural development in the process of becoming stronger.

So, how can we be patient and find an objective viewpoint to keep our progress in check? This is often very difficult to maintain because the view we hold of ourselves is often subjective to our feelings. We may indeed be advancing well, but we’ll have days in which we simply feel bad and it feels like all progress is lost. It can be very frustrating and exhausting when we don’t look at the entire picture of our progress.

A helpful way to remind yourself of how far you’ve come is by keeping a thought-journal. A journal is quite helpful, not only in documenting your daily experiences, but to simply vent out your mind. Often times, when we have additional stress from trying to develop, grow, and improve, we may find ourselves stagnant. We need to move, either mentally or physically to get momentum going and writing is a great way to achieve this.

Writing doesn’t have to be smart, clever, or witty in order to exist. It’s simply getting your mind to release itself of whatever it’s clogged with. I love to blog on a daily basis. One reason I love to blog is because I’m able to help and encourage other people. Additionally, I love to blog because it keeps my mind fresh, clear, and flowing. It’s important to keep a flow when you’re trying to make progress in anything. The mental, physical, and spiritual aspects of ourselves are all interconnected. When we improve in one of these areas, the other areas are positively affected.

Don’t put a strict timeline on your progress; however, know what your goal is. When you know your goal, you’ll know when you reach it. Sometimes it takes an unexpected route to get where you need to be. It may take more time or less time than you expected. And - often times, that goal will lead you to another, even greater goal to accomplish.

For further related reading, please check out: Your Talent is Needed.