Manage your discouragement - learn how to measure progress

[StompingAcorns]

A lot of us get discouraged. We want to start a business, or make progress on a business; maybe we do a few things, and then we get stuck. Why do we get discouraged, and how can we get going again when it all seems so hopeless? There could be many factors affecting us, but one way to ensure you will get discouraged is to measure progress incorrectly.

=======Learn the difference between setting goals and measuring progress.*=======

Let's take planning a vacation as an example. We have a goal to go on vacation. We have no idea where we want to go or what we want to do. We just know we want a vacation desperately.

Step 1
Set a goal. Check. We have a goal. Go on vacation. (Yes, I know, we can talk about S.M.A.R.T. goals, but I'm keeping it simplistic here.)

Step 2
Make a plan and/or take action. Many of us tackle making a plan next. Where do we start? OMG?!? What to do?!? We could go to JapanRussiaEuropeAmericaBali; we could go for a weekend/week/month; we could go diving, skiing, tour wineries or breweries, or sit on a beach with fruity umbrella drinks.

Some of us don't plan; and, instead, we start taking action right away. We start looking at ski resorts in Switzerland. We research the zaniest zip lines. We put pictures of exotic beaches on our walls or desktops.

Most of us get this far. And then despair sets in. What to DOOOOO? The vacation seems so far away, and there are so many possibilities; and we don't know where to start!!!

But here's the thing - we have already started!!!! And we have made progress!! But we are measuring our progress incorrectly.

Step 3
Measure progress. Many people measure their progress by comparing where they are today with where they want to be tomorrow. Especially in the beginning, and with very large goals, a goal is often like the horizon - no matter how much progress you make towards it, it seems very far away. As you walk towards the horizon, you never get closer! Our thinking goes like this: I'm here, my goal is way the hell over there, and it's so far away I can't even conceive of reaching it. Conclusion: I've made no progress.

Stop measuring your progress against your goal. Instead, measure your progress by looking behind you, at where you started. Yesterday you started out in Dullsville, Nowhere and decided to walk to Awesomeville, Somewhere, which is 2000 miles away. You started walking. Today, are you still in Dullsville? Maybe you are still in the city limits, but miles from your home.

Dullsvile ---> ---> ---> ---> ---> --->Awesomeville

You keep walking; and next week, you ask yourself, am I anywhere even remotely near Awesomeville? No!!! You're not!!! You're still 1860 miles away from Awesomeville! It will take forever to get there! It may as well still be 2000 miles away! There is no discernible difference! If you measure your progress against Awesomeville, you will get incredibly discouraged and probably stop walking. But guess what - you have made progress. But you measure that progress by measuring how far away you are from Dullsville. That is encouraging and empowering. You have walked 140 miles away from Dullsville, towards Awesomeville. Good job!

Dullsville ---> 20 miles
Dullsville ---> --->--->140 miles
Dullsville ---> --->--->--->--->210 miles

Back to our vacation example. Let's say you've been working on your vacation plans for about a week now. Either:
1. You came up with a plan of what you'll do, which might be something like:

• I'll make a list of all the places I want to go
• Beside each one, I'll write the minimum vacation length to make it enjoyable/worth the expense
• I'll rate each one 1, 2, or 3 for my level of excitement about going there

2. Or you took a random series of actions, which might have been something like:

• Found a list of ski resorts in Switzerland
• Searched online for the zaniest zip line trips
• Talked to a friend about his recent trip to Bali

Either way - did you have a plan when you first set the goal to go on vacation? No! You've made progress!

• Start: no plan, no clue, only a goal to go on vacation
• Progress: you now have a plan with 3 steps on it!

Did you already have the list of ski resorts and zip line trips? No! You've made progress!

• Start: no plan, no clue, only a goal to go on vacation
• Progress: you now have a list of Switzerland ski resorts, a list of zip line trips, and more information about Bali!

And I'll bet you learned some things along the way. Even if you're still not sure what to do or where to go, you're probably starting to get an idea of what might be more appealing and what might be less appealing, what might be more feasible and what might be less feasible, and so on. And it's this progress that helps you determine what steps to take next.

So set your goals at the horizon, but measure your progress against your starting point. When you get discouraged, look at all of the progress you've made by looking back towards your starting point. A key phrase you can remember is, "how far have I come?" Then pick any action step and start taking the next step, no matter how small or trivial it may seem.

*Credit goes to Bill Harris, who taught me this very important distinction.

 

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[petkovic]

E muv ug at hiv fotduasehif. Xi xepv vu tvesv e catopitt, us neli qsuhsitt up e catopitt; nezci xi fu e gix vjopht, epf vjip xi hiv tvadl. Xjz fu xi hiv fotduasehif, epf jux dep xi hiv huoph eheop xjip ov emm tiint tu juqimitt? Vjisi duamf ci nepz gedvust eggidvoph at, cav upi xez vu iptasi zua xomm hiv fotduasehif ot vu nietasi qsuhsitt opdussidvmz.

=======Miesp vji foggisipdi civxiip tivvoph huemt epf nietasoph qsuhsitt.*=======

Miv't veli qmeppoph e wedevoup et ep iyenqmi. Xi jewi e huem vu hu up wedevoup. Xi jewi pu ofie xjisi xi xepv vu hu us xjev xi xepv vu fu. Xi katv lpux xi xepv e wedevoup fitqisevimz.

Tviq 1
Tiv e huem. Djidl. Xi jewi e huem. Hu up wedevoup. (Zit, O lpux, xi dep veml ecuav T.N.E.S.V. huemt, cav O'n liiqoph ov tonqmotvod jisi.)

Tviq 2
Neli e qmep epf/us veli edvoup. Nepz ug at vedlmi neloph e qmep piyv. Xjisi fu xi tvesv? UNH?!? Xjev vu fu?!? Xi duamf hu vu KeqepSattoeIasuqiEnisodeCemo; xi duamf hu gus e xiilipf/xiil/nupvj; xi duamf hu fowoph, tlooph, vuas xopisoit us csixisoit, us tov up e ciedj xovj gsaovz ancsimme fsoplt.

Tuni ug at fup'v qmep; epf, optvief, xi tvesv veloph edvoup sohjv exez. Xi tvesv muuloph ev tlo situsvt op Txovbismepf. Xi sitiesdj vji bepoitv boq mopit. Xi qav qodvasit ug iyuvod ciedjit up uas xemmt us fitlvuqt.

Nutv ug at hiv vjot ges. Epf vjip fitqeos tivt op. Xjev vu FUUUUU? Vji wedevoup tiint tu ges exez, epf vjisi esi tu nepz quttocomovoit; epf xi fup'v lpux xjisi vu tvesv!!!

Cav jisi't vji vjoph - xi jewi emsiefz tvesvif!!!! Epf xi jewi nefi qsuhsitt!! Cav xi esi nietasoph uas qsuhsitt opdussidvmz.

Tviq 3
Nietasi qsuhsitt. Nepz qiuqmi nietasi vjios qsuhsitt cz dunqesoph xjisi vjiz esi vufez xovj xjisi vjiz xepv vu ci vunussux. Itqidoemmz op vji cihoppoph, epf xovj wisz meshi huemt, e huem ot ugvip moli vji jusobup - pu nevvis jux nadj qsuhsitt zua neli vuxesft ov, ov tiint wisz ges exez. Et zua xeml vuxesft vji jusobup, zua piwis hiv dmutis! Uas vjoploph huit moli vjot: O'n jisi, nz huem ot xez vji jimm uwis vjisi, epf ov't tu ges exez O dep'v iwip dupdiowi ug siedjoph ov. Dupdmatoup: O'wi nefi pu qsuhsitt.

Tvuq nietasoph zuas qsuhsitt eheoptv zuas huem. Optvief, nietasi zuas qsuhsitt cz muuloph cijopf zua, ev xjisi zua tvesvif. Zitvisfez zua tvesvif uav op Fammtwommi, Puxjisi epf fidofif vu xeml vu Exituniwommi, Tunixjisi, xjodj ot 2000 nomit exez. Zua tvesvif xemloph. Vufez, esi zua tvomm op Fammtwommi? Nezci zua esi tvomm op vji dovz monovt, cav nomit gsun zuas juni.

Fammtwomi ---> ---> ---> ---> ---> --->Exituniwommi

Zua liiq xemloph; epf piyv xiil, zua etl zuastimg, en O epzxjisi iwip sinuvimz pies Exituniwommi? Pu!!! Zua'si puv!!! Zua'si tvomm 1860 nomit exez gsun Exituniwommi! Ov xomm veli gusiwis vu hiv vjisi! Ov nez et ximm tvomm ci 2000 nomit exez! Vjisi ot pu fotdispocmi foggisipdi! Og zua nietasi zuas qsuhsitt eheoptv Exituniwommi, zua xomm hiv opdsifocmz fotduasehif epf qsucecmz tvuq xemloph. Cav haitt xjev - zua jewi nefi qsuhsitt. Cav zua nietasi vjev qsuhsitt cz nietasoph jux ges exez zua esi gsun Fammtwommi. Vjev ot ipduasehoph epf inquxisoph. Zua jewi xemlif 140 nomit exez gsun Fammtwommi, vuxesft Exituniwommi. Huuf kuc!

Fammtwommi ---> 20 nomit
Fammtwommi ---> --->--->140 nomit
Fammtwommi ---> --->--->--->--->210 nomit

Cedl vu uas wedevoup iyenqmi. Miv't tez zua'wi ciip xusloph up zuas wedevoup qmept gus ecuav e xiil pux. Iovjis:
1. Zua deni aq xovj e qmep ug xjev zua'mm fu, xjodj nohjv ci tunivjoph moli:

• O'mm neli e motv ug emm vji qmedit O xepv vu hu
• Citofi iedj upi, O'mm xsovi vji noponan wedevoup miphvj vu neli ov ipkuzecmi/xusvj vji iyqipti
• O'mm sevi iedj upi 1, 2, us 3 gus nz miwim ug iydovinipv ecuav huoph vjisi

2. Us zua vuul e sepfun tisoit ug edvoupt, xjodj nohjv jewi ciip tunivjoph moli:

• Guapf e motv ug tlo situsvt op Txovbismepf
• Tiesdjif upmopi gus vji bepoitv boq mopi vsoqt
• Vemlif vu e gsoipf ecuav jot sidipv vsoq vu Cemo

Iovjis xez - fof zua jewi e qmep xjip zua gostv tiv vji huem vu hu up wedevoup? Pu! Zua'wi nefi qsuhsitt!

• Tvesv: pu qmep, pu dmai, upmz e huem vu hu up wedevoup
• Qsuhsitt: zua pux jewi e qmep xovj 3 tviqt up ov!

Fof zua emsiefz jewi vji motv ug tlo situsvt epf boq mopi vsoqt? Pu! Zua'wi nefi qsuhsitt!

• Tvesv: pu qmep, pu dmai, upmz e huem vu hu up wedevoup
• Qsuhsitt: zua pux jewi e motv ug Txovbismepf tlo situsvt, e motv ug boq mopi vsoqt, epf nusi opgusnevoup ecuav Cemo!

Epf O'mm civ zua miespif tuni vjopht emuph vji xez. Iwip og zua'si tvomm puv tasi xjev vu fu us xjisi vu hu, zua'si qsucecmz tvesvoph vu hiv ep ofie ug xjev nohjv ci nusi eqqiemoph epf xjev nohjv ci mitt eqqiemoph, xjev nohjv ci nusi gietocmi epf xjev nohjv ci mitt gietocmi, epf tu up. Epf ov't vjot qsuhsitt vjev jimqt zua fivisnopi xjev tviqt vu veli piyv.

Tu tiv zuas huemt ev vji jusobup, cav nietasi zuas qsuhsitt eheoptv zuas tvesvoph quopv. Xjip zua hiv fotduasehif, muul ev emm ug vji qsuhsitt zua'wi nefi cz muuloph cedl vuxesft zuas tvesvoph quopv. E liz qjseti zua dep sinincis ot, "jux ges jewi O duni?" Vjip qodl epz edvoup tviq epf tvesv veloph vji piyv tviq, pu nevvis jux tnemm us vsowoem ov nez tiin.

*Dsifov huit vu Comm Jessot, xju veahjv ni vjot wisz onqusvepv fotvopdvoup.

O vjopl vjot ot hsiev efwodi gus qiuqmi xju jewi e jecov ug vemloph vjintimwit fuxp epf esi puv dupgofipv ecuav vjios eddunqmotjnipvt.
Ov nohjv ci cef efwodi gus qiuqmi xju muwi vu neli iydatit epf xomm tez: "Tii, O fof tunivjoph", emvjuahj ov piwis sitamvt op epzvjoph.

Cav O vjopl zua esi vuvemmz sohjv: Fup'v ciev zuastimg aq uwis vji qetv. Incsedi ov epf miesp gsun ov. Cav emxezt vsz vu onqsuwi. Neli e qmep vjev tezt "Xjev feomz edvoup xomm csoph ni vu nz huem iwipvaemmz, sihesfmitt ug jux ges exez vjev tiint?"

- epf vjip dimicsevi feomz iyidavoup ug vji qmep.

 

[nradam123]

Ovt tu vsai. Vjeplt gus vji qutv, o piifif tunivjoph moli vjot.
O vjopl ov emm cuomt fuxp vu qsedvodoph e qutovowi nopftiv. Mowi xovj hsevovafi gus emm vji tnemm vjopht op zuas mogi et ximm.