Breaking Through the Plateau: The Hidden Power of Persistence

I’m currently reading Atomic Habits by James Clear, and I just came across a section that really resonated with me. It talks about how, to make a meaningful difference, habits need to persist long enough to break through what’s called the “plateau of latent potential”. The book emphasizes that your work isn’t wasted when you don’t see immediate results – it’s simply being stored, building up until the breakthrough moment when all your effort pays off.

The Violin Journey: Effort Behind the Curtain 

This hit home for me, especially when I think back to the time I spent months practicing the violin. I would practice for five hours or more every day, sometimes sacrificing sleep, school, my social life, and even my mental health. All of that effort, all of that sacrifice, culminated in one final audition. And when people saw me perform, they complimented my “natural talent”. They had no idea how hard I had worked, how many late nights and early mornings I had endured. It felt like all the struggle and sweat were invisible to everyone but me. I started overthinking it, wondering why people didn’t see the effort I’d put in.

Mastery Requires Patience: Embracing the Process 

But then I read this passage: 

“Change can take years – before it happens all at once. Mastery requires patience”.
And another one: “We often expect progress to be linear. At the very least, we hope it will come quickly. In reality, the results of our efforts are often delayed. It is not until months or years later that we realize the true value of the previous work we have done. This can result in a ‘valley of disappointment’ where people feel discouraged after putting in weeks or months of hard work without experiencing any results. However, this work was not wasted. It was simply being stored. It is not until much later that the full value of previous efforts is revealed”.

On a more personal note, I’m all about self-improvement. I genuinely love the journey – the satisfaction of starting a new habit, the challenge of letting go of bad ones, and the excitement of becoming a better version of myself. But I won’t lie: this is something I struggle with. I lose motivation when I don’t see results quickly. It’s frustrating, and sometimes it makes me feel sad. But I’m learning to shift my focus from the results to the journey itself. I’m trying to fall in love with the process, even when the progress isn’t visible.

What I’m realizing is that every bit of effort counts, even when it feels like it doesn’t. It’s like planting seeds – just because you don’t see them sprout right away doesn’t mean they aren’t growing. The roots are forming, and in time, they’ll break through the surface. The key is to keep going, even when it feels like nothing is happening. Because eventually, something incredible will.

Starting My Blog: A New Chapter in Self-Improvement

This brings me to another journey I’ve recently embarked on – starting this blog. I’ve always had a passion for writing and sharing my thoughts, but taking the step to actually put it out there for the world to see is a whole new experience. I haven’t gotten around to adding a comment section or setting up notifications for new posts yet, and to be honest, I’m already feeling a bit unseen. It’s easy to feel like your words are floating out into the void, especially when there’s no immediate feedback or engagement. But I know that just the act of writing is progress.

Putting my thoughts into words, organizing them, and sharing them – this is all part of the process. It’s not just about getting the perfect layout or the most followers; it’s about the act of creating and putting it out there, even when no one might be watching. Atomic Habits talks about how progress is often invisible for a long time, and I think this blog is a perfect example of that. I might not see the results I want right away, but I know that every post I write, every idea I share, is a step forward.

I’m choosing to see this as progress, no matter how small it might seem. Each post is a tiny victory, a building block in the foundation of something bigger. It’s easy to get caught up in the idea that success should be instant – that if you don’t see results quickly, you’re somehow failing. But I’m reminding myself that the journey is just as important as the destination. The act of writing, of putting myself out there, is progress in itself.

A Call to Keep Going: Trusting the Process Together 

So, if you’re like me and find yourself getting discouraged when progress seems slow, just remember: your efforts are never wasted. They’re just building up, preparing for that moment when everything comes together. Let’s keep going on this journey together, focusing on the process, staying patient, and trusting that the results will come when the time is right.

Thanks for reading, and let’s keep growing, one habit at a time!