Nothing's working (why?)

Like most of my generation, I want everything now. 
 
Because who doesn’t love a dopamine hit? 
 
That checkout confirmation.
The thrill of a fresh canvas.
The excitement of starting new.
That new car smell.
The bite of a delicious treat. 
 
But, it’s all an illusion. 
 
You feel like you’re moving forward because you bought the thing, started the thing, planned the thing.
 
But actually the first step is the easier part. 
It’s the second. 
The third. 
It’s the daily habit that actually moves you forward. 
 
Because most things that matter don’t show up instantly.
 
Instant gratification is a terrible thing to want if you want to build anything of value. 

But we do it anyway because it’s fun right?
(Guilty 🚔 - I love new projects).  
 
Don’t get me wrong.
You can enjoy the cake with pleasure.
Get your fix every now and then. 
 
But when do we know when to stop?
When is the right moment to avoid instant gratification?
Which things are worth the time and the effort? 
 
Well that part's on you…
 
Your confidence. Your craft. Your business. And anything else you want long-term - they don’t arrive in 24 hours with free shipping.
 
You have to work for them.
Build them.
Step by step. 
Moment by moment. 
 
In a world that’s constantly refreshing, we forget that progress often looks like nothing. 

Until it finally does look like something.
 
Like waiting.
Like doing the same boring things every day with no immediate return.
 
But that’s the trick.
 
The more addicted you are to the rush of starting, the harder it becomes to finish anything.
 
You have to love the process.
Or at least learn to. 
 
You can appreciate a piece of art and want to create it. But you forget the hours of brush strokes behind it. 
 
The artist doesn’t love the final piece. 
They love the daily details. 
The paint under their nails. 
Each stroke of the paintbrush. 
 
You know that quote about the cube?
 
An ice cube doesn’t look like it’s melting at 0.5°C, or even 0.9°C, but at 1°C, everything changes. 
 
Progress works the same way: nothing feels different until it suddenly is.
 
You’re the ice cube. 
You won’t even notice you’re melting until you do. 
Add the heat - daily. Eventually you will melt - like in a good way.
 
So this weekend let’s sit with this thought:

What would happen if you stuck with one thing long enough for it to get good?
 
No instant gratification.
Just daily heat. 
 
The magic isn’t in the spark.
It’s in the simmer. Let it cook.

Penelope
xoxo