The Many Forms of Progress

With a long enough view, we realize it’s all progress. Even when it doesn’t feel like it.

Photo by Jungwoo Hong on Unsplash

It’s easy to get caught thinking about progress in only one dimension. An axis along which we can move only forward or backward.

This view has us focus on a limited number of tasks, milestones, and goals that are generally accepted to signify “progress”.

While those signals of progress might matter to others, however, if we’re seeking to create something that hasn’t come before, to do work that really matters, we need to take a more nuanced view of what progress really looks like, and how our actions contribute to it.

Progress could mean checking items off your to-do list.

Or adding to it.

It could mean putting in a focused day’s work.

Or taking it off to recharge.

Progress might be filling the pages of your notebook.

Or tearing them out and burning them.

It could be speeding up.

Or slowing down.

Onboarding new clients.

Or offboarding old ones.

Building a team.