1291: Progress isn't linear

If you feel like you aren't getting anywhere or you're doing something wrong, today's episode is for you!

Episode transcript:

Good morning, Daily Peppers, and a very happy Tuesday to you. So one of the things I'm working hard on in my own life right now is dog training. We have our fabulous cockapoo, Merlin. And he is a, to put it lightly, a bundle of energy. And I think not only our lives, but also his life could be improved with some more boundaries. So we are firmly in the grips of dog training. And I'm gonna be honest, it is equal parts rewarding and frustrating. But it has really reminded me of something that I've needed to hear and I think you might need to hear as well.

And it's progress isn't always linear. At the start of a project, we can get really excited, and there's all the energy and enthusiasm there. And we tend to start seeing results pretty quickly in terms of let's take a basic example of if we're doing a painting, we quickly go from nothing is on the blank page to something is on the blank page. And that feels really good because it feels like we're doing something. But as time goes on and we get more into the process, it can feel a bit harder. We can get stuck in the weeds. We also tend to make mistakes, which is a completely natural part of the process, and we can feel like we're not making much progress. I know the same is true for training Merlin.

That first week, we were giddy with excitement, and it was feeling really novel. And he was also making really, really quick progress, and I think all of us were feeling good. Now three weeks into it, it feels like this sometimes he wakes up and decides he's not gonna listen, and it is not feeling as shiny and new anymore. But that doesn't mean there's not progress. As frustrated as we can get by it, if we take a moment and reflect, we can also see that he is so much further ahead than he was when he started. But it can be really hard to see that because the goalpost has moved, and you know more about what you didn't know to begin with. So for today's daily pep, I simply wanted to give you some encouragement and just a reassurance and a reminder that progress isn't linear, and that's just a natural fact. That doesn't mean that you're doing anything wrong, and it can also be frustrating.

And that's okay too, and that doesn't mean you're doing anything wrong either. My encouragement for both of us is to really note the small wins and celebrate the fuck out of them, to remember just how far you've come and to think about the resistance beforehand and what your beliefs about what were possible and see where you are right now. And also just to focus on the showing up every day in whatever minuscule way you can, and try not to be comparing where you are all the time to the end goal. The big picture can really help in terms of the bigger why and our motivation, but let's not use it as a stick to beat ourselves with. So here's to making wonky progress on all of our journeys. Here's to being fucking proud of ourselves for showing up in the first place. And here's to doing the tiny steps, tiny, tiny, tiny steps every day. We've got this.

Transcription produced by Castmagic.io

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A short, snappy and sassy daily podcast to keep your internal - and external - dreamshitters at bay!

The Daily Pep! is the rebel-rousing, daily podcast for couragemakers, creative, multi-passionate and unconventional women. If you’re surrounded by people who don’t get who you are or what you do, if you want reminders you’re on the right path (no matter how scary it feels), or you’re sick of being your very own worst enemy, this is the podcast for you.

Every weekday, your host - writer, coach and professional rebel-rouser - Meg Kissack helps you build a creative and wholehearted life, one day at a time. Through short and snappy insights, reminders and stories, The Daily Pep! is here to remind you you’re not alone, and that everything changes when you believe you matter. Each episode is short and snappy, designed to fit in with (or help you start) your habits and routines.

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