Progress Is Not A Straight Line

Summary

The article discusses the non-linear nature of progress, emphasizing that it is a complex journey with both positive and negative phases, and the importance of tracking progress to appreciate the overall advancement towards a goal.

Abstract

The author of the article reflects on the common misconception that progress is a straightforward, upward trajectory. Instead, they argue that progress is often a "messy adventure" characterized by fluctuations in improvement, setbacks, and a range of emotions. Using their personal experience with Lyme Disease and the goal of quitting smoking, the author illustrates how tracking symptoms and habits can provide tangible evidence of progress, even when it feels slow or non-existent. They highlight the benefits of tracking progress, the addictive nature of seeing improvement, and the inevitability of bad days. The article concludes that the combination of good and bad days is what shapes the journey towards a goal, with each step contributing valuable lessons and motivation.

Opinions

Progress is not always a steady upward trend but can be irregular, with ups and downs.
Tracking progress, such as rating symptoms or counting cigarettes smoked, provides a clearer picture of improvement and can be motivating.
The excitement of making progress towards a goal can be more rewarding than the habit one is trying to break.
It's normal and acceptable to have setbacks while working towards a goal; they can serve as a reminder of the progress made and reignite motivation.
The overall journey, including both the good and bad days, is essential in shaping one's progress and personal growth.

It’s a messy adventure filled with ups, downs, and everything in between

When recovering from something, setting goals, working towards a target, or even trying to meet a deadline there is a misconception that the progress will be an upward line each day getting closer to the end result.

I have learned through many events that this is not how progress works and it is a messy adventure full of ups, downs, and everything in between with each emotion coming to play, though it makes the final result that much more rewarding.

The benefits of tracking your progress

In my first monthly check-in with my doctor for Lyme Disease, I knew that we would be meeting to review my progress with the antibiotics that he had prescribed. During the appointment, I quickly blurted out that I wasn’t feeling 100% even though I had been taking them every day consistently. He laughed and replied, “This is going to take some time and if you were 100% better, you would be some kind of medical miracle.” I felt relieved. He then suggested that I come up with my top three symptoms and rate them every day on a scale of 1 to 10, so we could see the progress in the numbers and compare each month.

I began the daily tracking of rating my symptoms and have been doing so for the last seven months, it only takes a few minutes each night and is a good way to see the progress. This tool has been helpful in my recovery process along with working towards a healthier lifestyle. There have been months where there has been huge progress and months where I may have taken a couple of steps back. Tracking the symptoms helped me have evidence of where I was in the recovery process.

When working towards a goal it is important to track the progress. I’m not a huge fan of obsessing over the number on the scale or counting my steps, but a check-in point and data are important when determining success.

The addictive nature of progress

On the days that I make huge gains, I get excited, pat myself on the back, and feel that I am one step closer to my ultimate goal. That’s what it’s all about.

Lyme Disease sent my life into a tailspin for a little over a year, but it also made me realize it was time to take my health seriously.

I even decided to slowly quit smoking cigarettes.

When I started working towards that goal I approached it in two ways: 1) by counting how many cigarettes I smoked each day to ensure I was going in the right direction, and, 2) by setting a time between each cigarette to challenge myself to smoke less.

The high of working towards a goal and making progress was more addicting than the actual habit and I was starting to see positive results. This is what progress is all about, but not all days look like that.

It’s OK to have bad days

Working towards my goal of quitting smoking hasn’t been easy and not all days are rainbows and sunshine. I would have days and sometimes even weeks where I wouldn’t count how many I had smoked in a day.

Those days were steps backward, but they also made me miss the excitement and motivation of the good days when I was inching closer to my goal. That feeling would get me back on track and reignite the motivation.

The Good and Bad Days Combined Create the Journey

Working towards any goal is a journey and adventure making us who we are.

Combining the good and bad is where I saw the progress and that every step was worth it. The bad days gave me the information I needed to make changes while the good days provide the excitement and motivation to keep working towards the end result.