Why do we expect immediate results without the necessary progress?
Would you expect to sound like Yo-Yo Ma after only practicing the cello for 1 day?
Our culture today has pushed us for immediate satisfaction. Fast food, fast deliveries of our purchases, fast travel and don’t get me wrong, I love a fast oil change. But this can make progress with a task frustrating when we invest energy into it without seeing an immediate result.
When you plant a seed, you must water it frequently. The plant doesn’t spring up immediately. But stop watering and the plant will not grow. You must water for days before you see the results of your efforts when the plant finally emerges.
Sometimes we may not even be moving straight forward. For example, a sailboat cannot sail directly into the wind. Instead, it has to zig-zag (“tack”) in order to make forward progress. There is effort put into moving side to side in order to make incremental forward movement.
You may not see immediate results with your progress, but don’t give up. The result will NEVER be attained if you stop your progress.