Over and over I hear people struggling with progress taking longer than their brains think it should take. I experience it too. From small things, like how long it takes to write one page, to big things like how long it takes to get a business to a livable income, or how long to find your ideal work situation.
I’ve heard this quote many times and wanted to share it and see how it lands with you. I think it offers some clues on this “too slow” feeling.
People OVERestimate what they can do in 1 year and UNDERestimate what they can do in 10 years. ~Bill Gates
That resonates with me. Maybe in reality, it’s not so much that we don’t “get enough done” in the time we expected to, but perhaps more about our brain’s bias towards what “should” happen faster. It can be fueled by an inner critic voice of “never good enough.”
But it’s still discouraging…
If it’s discouraging that something just IS taking longer than we want or need it to, then what? Self-compassion? Acceptance? Push push push? Find a new way?
Is it time to pivot or be patient? Maybe some of each. Constant pivoting, no. Occasional pivots that help you realign, yes. Patience with everything.
For starters, I’m going to take a hint from that quote and think about a longer view.
What would I do if I just accepted things take a lot longer than I think, and that it can really add up?
Take the example of compounded interest over 10 years, not just months.
Here’s a quick reminder about the power of compounded interest:
5% interest on $10,000 in one year is $500.
5% annual interest, compounded over 10 years earns you a $6,288 gain. That’s a 63% gain.
You might have scoffed at earning $500, but you wouldn’t scoff at earning $6,288.
I think that’s how it is with any goal. Barely noticeable progress and some discouragement setting in, and then… somehow, meaningful progress adds up.
Concrete encouragement from the long view:
Another way to feel the encouraging power of perseverance is I can think about where I was 10 years ago and all that has happened in that time.
Over the last 10 years, my business grew and became more fulfilling, and I met and married my soulmate. If I were just looking up close only, I would see the events that didn’t fill, the courses I never finished making, and the bad dates before I met my beloved. The long view blurs all the bumps and the accomplishments are what shine through.
In other words, taking the long view can be encouraging. Looking back can help even if you think you’ve made no progress in 10 years.
My brain thinks I’ve barely made any progress, but then, even a quick thought about what has changed was uplifting. If I wrote down more things, I bet I would really be amazed. Maybe I’d realize I’m on a path for more amazement right now, before I can see it.
What comes up for you in thinking about all this?
Simple action ideas to uplift you:
- I invite you to take 10 minutes or so to think about where you were 10 years ago and what’s different now. Set a timer and keep listing things. I hope it brings a smile as you take in all you’ve accomplished that you’ve likely taken for granted by now. It’s a lot. I welcome hearing what you notice.
- List some accomplishments at the end of each week. Until I do this each week, I don’t feel like I got anywhere, but then I can see that I actually did, and that feels good.
- Try on a mantra to help you stay in the happy turtle zone. Samples: “Do less better.” or “Growing by slowing.”
From there, you might find more help in the related posts below.
