Making progress feels good. Often, it is evidence of progress that motivates us to work harder, stay the course, and not give up. Concrete progress makes us believe in ourselves and helps us to sustain change over the long term. However, recognizing progress is not always easy, and sometimes we wonder, “Am I even making progress?” While you might think this is a simple “yes” or “no” question, the truth is that the answer can be surprisingly complex.
For the purposes of this post, let’s use the example of organizing your home.
At first glance, it is tempting to say that progress in organizing a home would mean reducing clutter, establishing efficient storage systems, and maintaining consistent order. However, rather than describing progress, this actually describes an end result. If we evaluate our progress against an idealized finished product, we may proclaim ourselves failures partway through the process. This is unfortunate because progress is not a “pass/fail” measure.
Why should we avoid associating progress with results? The reason is that while we have control over what we put into an endeavor, we lack complete control over the results we achieve.
Let’s think of this organizing project as an input/output box. Look at the image below.
We have control over what we put into the box. For example, we can…
- Set aside time to review belongings that have accumulated.
- Sort accumulated paperwork into recycle, shred, and file piles.
- Clean out a drawer, closet, shelf, space, or room.
- Remove objects from our home that are not loved, needed, or wanted.
- Load donations into our car and drop them off (or schedule a pickup).
- Designate time each day to review our calendar and tasks.
- Walk around once a day for 15 minutes and put things away.
- Hire a professional to help us with difficult decisions.
- Buy products to improve the structure in our space.
These are just a few examples. There are any number of steps we could take to move us toward the goal of having an organized home.
At the same time, while we put our efforts into the box, there are many other things happening inside the box – things that we don’t control – that will impact our results. For instance…
- Other family members, who may undermine our efforts to put things away
- Guilt inflicted by others about letting go of things
- Naysayers who criticize or belittle our efforts
- Space constraints in our current living situation
- Illness or health issues (mental, physical, emotional)
- Unexpected emergencies that steal our time
- Financial pressures/uncertainties
I hope you are seeing that results come from a combination of factors: those we control and those we do not. Therefore, evaluating our progress strictly by results means we are basing our sense of accomplishment, at least in part, upon external components. Furthermore, we may be doing a great job, but still not ending up with exactly the outcome we desire.
This leaves us with a question: what is a better way for assessing our progress?
Rather than measure progress from results, a better way to think about progress is as personal movement toward a goal. What do I mean by personal movement? It can be any number of steps to which you commit and upon which you consistently follow through. This might include:
- Positive self-talk
- Improved daily/weekly behavior and/or habit
- Pushing through a well-entrenched excuse
- Seeking and then heeding good advice
- Researching options for a troubling situation
- Hiring professional help
- Addressing a painful “off limits” topic
- Implementing more effective solutions than the ones we have previously employed
Of course, the specifics will depend entirely on the type of progress you are trying to make. In order to figure out exactly which “inputs” you will pursue, consider these four steps.
1. Clarify what you are trying to achieve.
If we think about the input/output box above, this would be the “result” we would ideally like to have. This helps us know where we are going. In our example, this would be “Organize My Home.”
2. Make a list of all the various steps you can take to achieve your goal.
Bear in mind that you will never have complete control of all factors; therefore, focus on what you personally can do. This list may be short or long, but it needs to be very specific.
3. Intentionally choose which step you will focus on first.
Don’t try to implement a long list of life changes all at once. Rather, start with one step, and make sure it is realistic and possible.
4. Evaluate your progress at a pre-determined time.
For instance, let’s say you decided to sort through one drawer a day in your kitchen. Count the number of drawers in your kitchen, and then look ahead on your calendar that same number of days and assign yourself the task of evaluating your performance. During the intervening days, track your progress. You can put a check mark on a chart or in your calendar. When the day to review arrives, consider how well you did. Once again, bear in mind that your kitchen may not look any different from when you began for a variety of reasons (e.g., people are still piling stuff up in your kitchen, your kitchen is still quite small with limited storage, etc.). Nevertheless, if you stuck with your goal of reviewing one drawer a day, that is tangible progress worth celebrating!
If you fell short of your goal, this is the time to reevaluate. Ask yourself:
- Why do I think I fell short?
- Do I want to try again to complete this same task?
- Did I find that this was too difficult a task for me to stick with?
- Can I tweak this object to make it smaller/easier, or do I need help to make it happen?
- Do I want to try focus on another task from my list instead?
Make a new “contract” with yourself and start again. Each time, remind yourself to focus on keeping the deal with yourself, rather than on the visible results you are getting. The big “win” is to realize that progress is having behaved in such a way that you are pleased with yourself. Even if the results are slow to come, you can still feel good about the efforts you are making.
* * *
Once you prove to yourself that you can make incremental, but consistent, changes, you realize that the world is your oyster. You have agency over your life. When you make choices that align with your goals and desires, you are making progress. Small steps start to add up, giving you a sense of satisfaction and achievement that isn’t based on circumstances, outcomes, or the way other people behave.
What if you make progress but still aren’t getting the results you desire? Since we cannot wave a magic wand and change our world or others, the best question to ask is, “Am I doing all that I can?” If you hit a wall, this is a great time to invite an expert into your situation.
The key to making consistent progress is in those small steps. And the lower the barrier to entry to start the task, the better chance you’ll have of succeeding.
It’s such an important distinction you made between the things we control and those we don’t. And also how those opposing entities influence what progress feels and looks like. Progress is rarely a straight trajectory, even though we often think that’s how it’s ‘supposed’ to be. Instead, progress shows up with its hills and valleys as we journey forth toward our goals.
It’s interesting that we have an innate belief that progress should be a straight trajectory. We “talk” about the ups and downs, but then our expectations are stuck in an unrealistic place. Also, we can be making very good progress and then be undermined by the behaviors of someone else, and that can be so discouraging. When we keep our eyes fixed on how WE are doing against the goals we set for ourselves, we can be satisfied regardless of what the world may be dishing out.
Progress is a very relative term. Progress indicates movement, of both a physical nature and a perspective worldview. It is difficult to measure your own progress and sometimes rely on others to help you discern this. At times progress is made in tiny steps too!
I think the vast majority of my progress has been made in tiny steps!
I’m definitely about tiny steps, and it’s not a straight line AT ALL. I think once I embraced that, it really helped me clear my mind. I’ve been much more productive in the last several months. Progress is slow and steady.
Tamara recently posted…Until I Fall Away, I Won’t Keep You Waiting Long
How wonderful to feel that your recent months have been productive. That really feels so great, right? The old “twisty path of progress” for sure!
Loved your image with the input/output box! When I talk with clients about their projects and goals I always talk about potential roadblocks.
And when clutter accumulates, I always like to take some time before decluttering to analyze why the items accumulated in this spot. That often indicates that another project might need working on first.
Jonda Beattie recently posted…7 Ways To Ensure Your Gifts Are A Blessing, Not Clutter
That is such helpful perspective you bring, Jonda. Where to start, right? Also, ideas for solving the real problem. Sometimes we get busy working on a problem that turns out not to be the issue, and then we don’t get the results we want and are disappointed.
I just want people to find joy in reaching their personal goals, wether or not they are “seeing” progress. Sticking with the plan IS progress!
Your post reminded me of a presentation I once heard. The speaker said your goal shouldn’t be to make XX number of sales, but to make XX number of calls. The first is outside your control, but the other is within it. Every step counts!
Janet Barclay recently posted…How much does a website cost, and how long does it take?
Yes, that’s exactly the point I’m trying to make. If you do what you can do, feel good about that, regardless of the results. Sticking with our plan will eventually pay rewards!
I feel like this should be read not only by each new organizing client (or person endeavoring to do it on their own), but also anyone embarking on therapy. This is wise counsel, indeed, because so much is measured BY OTHERS by the results. People’s employment reviews are measured by outcomes, ignoring economic and human forces beyond the employee’s control; similarly, so much of what we do depends not only on our progress, but the vagaries and whims of fate. Focusing on our portion allows us to build up our tenacity and confidence so we can redouble our efforts and (sometimes) counteract the things mostly outside of our control. I’m so glad you wrote this, because sticking with the plan and making small forward momentum, no matter what the outside world does, is key to satisfaction. Great stuff!
Julie Bestry recently posted…Paper Doll Suggests What to Watch to Get More Organized and Productive
So true, Julie. Others evaluate us on outcomes, and that is often a poor measure indeed. It is a challenge to see the effort, and yet that is the better measure of success.
I am getting better at recognizing small accomplishments as success. There will never be a time that everything is in perfect order but just accomplishing one small thing is progress. I love your suggestions and I plan to follow through.
My mother taught me to recognize and acknowledge small accomplishments. I remember her telling me this when I had my first child and was feeling like I wasn’t accomplishing anything!
“progress is not a “pass/fail” measure” This is one of the best things to remember but often time the hardest for people to internalize and recognize in the moment. Thank you for a great post about an important part of organizing.
Janet Schiesl recently posted…3 Must-Do Organizing Tips for Kids
And it isn’t always just about results! Sometimes we can be making wonderful progress, but external forces are undermining us, so we are disappointed with the results. It’s good to focus on our effort, not outcomes.
You really nailed this feeling. I couldn’t have described this feeling better my self. It’s a constant battle for me.
I’m glad you can relate!