Delay is not Denial: How To Be Patient When Progress is Slow
Life has a very interesting way of humbling us. We can have all these ideas, plans and goals in the world and do the work to make things happen but sometimes results feel like they're taking an eternity to manifest. It can feel like progress is slow and sometimes it feels like you're not making any progress at all. In the video below I sharing a slightly different style of message. After having conversations with some mentees about progress I just wanted to encourage other people who might need to be reminded that delay is not denial. As a personal branding coach and motivational speaker I understand the challenges that business owners face and in fact this message resonates for professionals too.
In business it can seem like things may not being moving in the right direction or even moving quickly enough. But quite often when things take longer than we anticipate it's for good reason, it means that the timing is not quite right for a breakthrough in your business but that doesn't mean that the breakthrough isn't going to happen. Don't lose hope, don't get caught up believing that because what you want to happen hasn't happened yet that it never will! I know it sounds like a cliche but the best things in life take time, you have to learn to be resilient, you have to be patient. That doesn't mean that you have to stop moving forward, just because you think your successes haven't come to fruition yet that doesn't mean that you should give up.
As a personal branding coach and motivational speaker, I’ve worked with driven professionals who’ve felt stuck, frustrated or even ready to quit. But I often remind them that just because their success hasn’t fully shown up yet it doesn’t mean it isn’t on the way. The biggest, most transformative wins often require patience, resilience and a deep trust in the process. I know that might sound like something pulled from a Pinterest quote board but as corny as it sounds it’s true. Even in my own business journey I have had to lean into patience to get me through the toughest times. Some of the most rewarding chapters in your business journey come after the longest periods of waiting, learning and refining.
Of course, being resilient doesn’t mean sitting still and becoming stagnant, you have to move forward and be consistent even when the results haven’t caught up with your effort yet. Stay committed to your vision, showing up with purpose and do the inner work required to lead with authenticity.
If you're questioning your progress, take a moment to reflect on how far you’ve already come. We’re often our own toughest critics. But if you zoom out, you might see that you’re closer than you think. The personal branding work you’ve done, the audience you’ve begun to grow, the clarity you’ve developed around your mission — it all adds up.
Progress isn’t always loud or flashy, sometimes it’s subtle, foundational and necessary for sustainable growth.
Sometimes we can be our own harshest critics, if you took the time to assess your accomplishments you might be a lot closer than you give yourself credit for. Start seeing yourself as who you really are, someone who’s doing the best you can one day at a time.
