P25: When Progress Feels Like Nothing's Happening

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Welcome!

How are you progressing through that special project?

The one you’ve been dreaming about… working on… maybe wrestling with.

The truth? From the outside, progress looks like a dash.
From the inside, it often feels like nothing is moving at all.

I remember being pregnant with my daughter in the middle of a scorching summer. We lived in an old house with no air conditioning. Every day felt like a decade.

I waddled through humidity and fatigue, waiting for the moment I could finally meet the little human I was growing.

Then one day a friend said, “Wow, those nine months just flew by!”

Not for me. But something was happening. Quietly. Constantly. A beautiful butterfly was forming inside the cocoon of discomfort.

The same is true for creative work.

Whether you’re writing a story, building a business, healing, or reinventing yourself—progress often feels glacial from the inside.

But here’s the deal: when you're pregnant with an idea, a vision, a dream—it is growing. The progress you can’t see is often the most important kind.

PIVOT POINT

Slow progress is still progress.
And the work you’re doing beneath the surface? It’s sacred.

THE SHIFT

Instead of asking “Why is it taking so long?”
Try asking:

• What am I learning in this waiting?

• What am I strengthening through this stretch?

• What part of me is being prepared for what’s coming?

Pain, fatigue, and uncertainty are part of every great birth. And just like in labor, you may not be able to see the head crowning. But something extraordinary is on the way.

PIVOT CHALLENGE

No matter what you’re birthing right now—a business, a book, a new way of living—try one of these gentle nudges:

1. Name the Season. Write down what you’re growing and give it a name. “I’m in the incubation stage of ___.” Naming it helps reframe the waiting.
   

2. Track Tiny Wins. Keep a daily or weekly log of micro-progress. One sentence written. One connection made. One insight gained. Progress compounds.
   

3. Honor the Ache. Instead of resenting the pain, recognize it as a sign of life. A reminder that something is becoming.
   

4. Visual Reminder. Place something on your desk, mirror, or journal: a stone, a quote, a sticky note. Anything that whispers: “Keep going. It’s growing.”

No matter how slow or invisible it feels, progress is happening.

REMEMBER

Stay faithful to the process. Something beautiful is unfolding.

Until next time,

P.S. I’m scheduling new talks and private coaching sessions for spring and summer. If you’d like to explore how I can support your progress or your team’s, send me a note and let’s chat.

P.S.S. Love quick momentum boosts? I share 2-minute pivot tips daily on LinkedIn. Think of them as tiny nudges to keep you (and your project) moving. Come say hi and check these out:

• Transform your reading with my 1×1×1 Reading Method.

• Level up your choices with the help of these 7 Decision-Making Styles.

• 10 ways to preserve your enthusiasm in the midst of failure