In a world where we could have just about everything we want at a moment’s notice, we have to pick and choose where we allocate our energy and always remember that while good things are fleeting,

What happens when you’ve been at something for a period of time and haven’t seen the results you’re looking for? Whether that be in the gym or working to grow your passion, whether you started January 1st or any other time, if you’re not getting the results you want, this one’s for you. Just be ready for Nana’s tough love.

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We all start somewhere. This may seem like a pretty obvious statement, but it needs to be said. You don’t just wake up one day with the ability to deadlift 600 pounds, run the fastest 400 known to man, or go to work at your dream job. It’s a steady build to get to an impressive feat. In fact, one might say that all Great Things Take Time. 

And who might say that? Well, Nana, that’s who. 

But before she’d tell you to be patient and keep at it, she’d first remind you to get some nice clothes that fit you well, to put on lotion and stop being so ashy, to go hug a tree, and then she’d probably ask you to do some of the following things. (Spoiler: there is a lot of tough love)

You’ve heard it said before, but much of the hangup is just starting something. The fear of not getting it exactly right can hold us back. But if you really want something, you’d probably get a look from Nana, confused as to why you’re talking so much about something, but not going for it. 

Take the whole Great Things Take Time platform. This was something I’d been thinking about for years, but wasn’t sure how to execute on. I had to finally just make a move, any move, to put me in that direction, whether or not it played out. Of course, no one wants to fail, and that holds us back from starting or going further. But you’re going to fail over and over again in small ways while you’re in this build.

So, whether it’s picking up a new set of weights or putting yourself out there in a new way, have you started yet? I mean, REALLY started?

If you’re not seeing results, having a conversation with yourself isn’t something you should only do once; you should keep coming back to yourself to ask yourself why you’re not seeing results. 

Deep down, you probably know why. 

Nana would be pretty blunt about things, and you should be too. 

Take fitness goals: if you’re working out 6 days a week and not seeing results, how do you really feel? (Man, a lot of italics today) How are you spending the rest of your time? Are you too ambitious, causing the quality of the workout to go down? Is your plan tailored to your goals? 

You get closer to your Great Things when you show up, but you get further when you show up with intention. 

If you are working out for an hour every day, but phoning it in when it comes to recovery, nutrition, mental health, hydration, or even the workout itself, you won’t see the results you want. 

If your goal is to build strength, and you aren’t picking up heavier weights over time because you’re too tired from your schedule, you need to have an honest conversation with yourself that what you’re doing is not conducive to your goals. 

We don’t like to admit that we’re wrong, especially me! Hell, I had to swallow my pride about a year into building the GTTT community when I realized I had done it in a way that didn’t live up to my original goal. It’s not a fun feeling to feel like everything you’ve done has been for nothing. 

No one likes the feeling of your heart dropping into your stomach when you start going down the rabbit hole of “wasted time.” But nothing is wasted, you’re fine-tuning and getting closer to your Great Thing.

Maybe tap Nana in to do the hard work if you’re having trouble being honest with yourself. What do you think she’d say about the state of things? Where would she call you out on your bullshit? WWNS? (What would Nana say?) Maybe she’s the voice you need to start getting honest with yourself.

Once you’ve had that honest conversation with yourself, things need to start getting fine-tuned. Nana is not someone who believed in excess (“you should only have as many friends as fingers on your hand”), so she’d also tell you that you need to cut out things that don’t serve you and focus on the end product.

If it’s been several weeks of a new workout plan with no results, consider something new you can try and start experimenting. Just one thing, it doesn’t need to be a major overhaul, but one tiny change that could impact your outcome. Ideally, this is defined by the honest conversation you had earlier.

Food before a workout, as opposed to going at it fasted, might mean you’re able to push harder and hit new personal bests, breaking your plateau.

Cutting out a day of working out might mean you have more time for yourself. So when it’s time for your session, you aren’t feeling burnt out and resentful. Again, breaking your plateau.

Skipping that one class that you love so dearly because it makes your schedule so stressful might be worth it for the time being, giving you the chance to push harder and see results.

(Hey, if you’re thinking about my class, I’ll miss you, but if it doesn’t work for your schedule, I’ll be the first one to tell you to find something else!)

With GTTT, I knew it couldn’t be everything to everyone. I had to figure out exactly how I wanted the platform to show up to achieve my desired purpose. If you’ve been subscribed to the newsletter from the beginning, you’ve seen all the messy transitions, the things that went really right, and the things that I did really wrong. In fact, this topic comes at a great time because much of the fine-tuning is becoming apparent. A redesign of things? Now I interview people?! Look at all the tiny changes! I’d say it’s GTTT2.0, but that would be a total lie because it’s really GTTT14.0_final_finalfinal_USEME

There is a method and formula that works for you with whatever you’re trying to achieve. You just need to find it.

A lot of the fine-tuning won’t always be apparent to others, but in this corner of the internet, we don’t care what others think when we know we’re doing what’s best for ourselves and we BELIEVE it.

When you start something, you’re already an expert at so many other things out there, and it might feel humbling to start as a beginner, especially if you keep failing. You know what succeeding feels like, and it’s easy to put the pressure on yourself to get it right every time. 

You’re going to have moments where you’re unsure about what you’re stepping into and how you’re going about it. You’re going to have moments where you feel others’ judgment about your progress or your method. Don’t let this shake your desire for what you want.

If you’re not committed and you don’t believe in your Great Thing, no one will. Forget the side comments, the likes, what anyone else is doing, or the wrong turns you took. Don’t let failures drive your success; you’re barely going to think back on them, and if you do, it will be as a reminder of how hard you worked.

Nana would tell you to keep going and not to give up, to be patient, and to believe that you have what it takes. But she’d also shame you if you forgot to wash behind your ears while doing all this, so whatever you do, don’t forget about that! 

In hindsight, I guess what she was trying to say was to not lose yourself in the process. A lesson we can all take to heart.

If you only pause to reflect on your life for one moment today, do it now.

You read the newsletter, you have your goal in mind, but you’re not seeing progress. What would Nana say? She’d be very honest with you…

Your turn! Journal your answer, or if you find yourself sharing the progress of your Great Things on social, tag me at @greatthingswith_adrian so I can join in on cheering you along!

Here’s to the people out there achieving their Great Things!

60-year-old Dan Carney skated up to the line to compete in the Olympic Trials for Speed Skating earlier this month to prove that you’re never too old to go for your dreams.

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Remember:

-Adrian