Peaks, valleys, and plateaus

“The road to success is always under construction.”

***

Frustration floods through me as I fail to figure out a single lesson to write on. 

My mind has drawn a blank.

I sit staring blankly at my computer screen waiting for some inspiration to hit me. It usually does, it usually just comes to my mind. Have I really used up all my ideas? Have I said everything I want to say? Is my mind really that simple?

The doubting thoughts come closing in and I shut my laptop.

“What a waste of a day!”

No progress made, I am a failure. 

***

You’ve had days like this. Everyone does.

No matter what you do, there’s days where you feel like you suck at it. Where you feel like nothing goes your way. Where you don’t know why you even try.

I’ve had plenty of days where I question myself. 

But the more I question myself, the more I have realized that the path to success is not a rigid upward trend line like I want it to be. It is a climb filled with plenty of deep valleys, elongated plateaus and steep peaks.

But without these natural forming landscapes, what fun is the exploration?

The contrasting peaks, valleys, and plateaus allow you to recognize the true beauty of the overall picture. The peaks give you something to celebrate, the valleys give you a story to tell, and the plateaus give you time to reflect.

You can’t always be going up. Eventually it’s gonna get too steep and too exhausting and you’re gonna burn out. The key is figuring out ways to climb higher when you’re not climbing. It’s figuring out what got you stuck and improving from it. It’s about keeping your eyes focused on the top when you can’t seem to get going. 

I have found it super helpful to move off a task if I seem to be stuck. Rather than insulting myself for not being able to make progress, I accept that I’m not going anywhere, take a break, and come back to it later. I usually find it helpful to work on a different goal. This way I don’t get too down on myself for not doing anything. 

For example, if you can’t think of anything to write, go for a walk. Your brain may just need a break and walking will help release tension. It may even help brainstorm a way to break out of your slump.

Do you ever struggle to solve a problem all day and suddenly the answer comes to you when you least expect it?

I do all the time.

Sometimes I’ll sit down, put all my focus into solving a problem, and I can’t solve it. I become so stressed out so I walk away then suddenly at 3:00 PM the next day the answer comes to me when I’m in the middle of my work day and can’t do anything to solve it. Or maybe it comes at 3:00 AM when I should be sleeping.

Problems always seem to work themselves out. Sometimes it is just best to accept the current situation and come back to it later. 

The peak isn’t always visible, but if you know the direction to get there, you just have to keep walking. 

Accept that the road to success is never straight. The climb to the peak is never achievable without valleys and plateaus. 

Accept your failures and learn from them. This will only help you move even faster once you get back on track. 

Beyond every valley is a peak and behind every peak is a plateau. The exploration is never simple, you just have to accept where you are and stay focused on the peak.