The things we pursue that are of most value to us
are going to be hard and take time. Very few things that are worth having come
easy, and most of the best things worth attaining require hard graft - either
physical, mental, or both.
With some of those things we’ll get more of the gains in the early periods, where gains then diminish over time (like weight training, fitness, DIY). But many, if not the majority, of our valuable pursuits work the other way; the initial gains start off small, only to grow and accumulate over time, where the initial investment yields the largest rewards after the groundwork has been put in (friendships, networking, acquiring knowledge, playing a musical instrument).
I mention this in the hope of encouraging those of us who are trying to become an established name in our field or passion, or who are hungry to gain more momentum to break into the mainstream – whether that’s in writing, music, art, starting a small business, building a successful blog, podcast or video channel. There are many pursuits that could reap greater rewards for our efforts and abilities, and I think that the reality of compounding progress – from baby steps to bigger strides - is something we can expect to experience on our journey. I've read of many cases where a blog or podcast reaches a key point of critical mass and experiences more growth in one month (and beyond) than in the previous two or three years. Perseverance can lay the groundwork for transformative breakthroughs.
And remember too, for further encouragement - material published now that is only making a small impression and getting relatively few hits will still be there for people to see and revisit if you do make it big - so nothing will go to waste, and every effort can contribute to your future success, and make an impact henceforward.
For those blessed enough to eventually make a significant impact in their craft, the early wins may feel slow and gradual. But we can be buoyed by the fact that most success stories begin that way, where the greater the gains, the more they can become even greater. And while the explosive results may come later, I think it’s vital to enjoy and value those incremental advances along the way – they are a rewarding and necessary part of the adventure.
