We’ve all been there.
Caught in a “success valley.”
We’re showing up, putting in the work, but the results just aren’t there. It’s frustrating. So, what do we do?
We double down.
1 day.
2 days.
Grinding harder, expecting that any moment, something will shift.
But it doesn’t.
So, we pull back. Settle into average effort. And hope for a miracle to turn things around.
Sound familiar?
Here’s the key problem: we’re measuring the wrong thing.
Most of us measure our daily results—the immediate, tangible outcomes of our efforts. But results are lagging indicators. They tell us where we’ve been, not where we’re going.
What we need to measure instead is progress. Whether we’re getting better.
Progress is the leading indicator. How we’re trending. It’s about the quiet shifts that others don’t notice but sets the stage for exponential growth.
Think about it:
• An entrepreneur spends months building relationships before landing a major client.
• A salesperson hears 20 “no’s” before closing a game-changing deal.
• An athlete trains for years to shave a fraction of a second off their performance.
From the outside, it can look like nothing’s happening. But progress is compounding in the background.
Here’s the truth: you can be making incredible progress, doing everything right, and still feel like you’re not moving the needle.
That’s when most people quit.
But not you.
You’re here because you’re committed to a different mindset—a mindset that values the journey, not just the destination.
Here’s how to measure progress instead of results:
1. Track consistent actions. Did you show up? Did you put in the work? Celebrate that.
2. Notice patterns. Are you improving your processes? Learning from mistakes? That’s progress.
3. Look for small wins. Did you send one more email, make one more call, or learn one new skill? Progress.
4. Focus on the direction. Progress isn’t about how far you’ve come. It’s about where you’re headed.
When you measure progress, you shift your mindset from frustration to empowerment. You start to see that the actions you take today are laying the foundation for tomorrow’s success.
Because the point isn’t where you are—it’s where you’re going.
So, the next time you find yourself in a success valley, pause. Stop obsessing over immediate results. Start focusing on the momentum you’re building.
Stay the course. Your breakthrough is closer than you think.
To your success,
John
