This Is What I Do When I Am Not Making Progress

I will write about it and challenge myself to let it shine

Photo by Christian Erfurt on Unsplash

It is not easy to write about my own struggle, to admit I am not up to it. I have been writing solely on Substack for six months, and I feel I am not making much progress. It feels like somewhere along the way, I may have made some wrong turns.

I have been showing up and being consistent with putting in the work, but the needle just doesn’t seem to be moving. It feels like no matter what I do, progress isn’t happening, or at least not at the rate I had hoped.

On the march to pursue my writing passion, I may have picked a rocky road filled with potholes and boulders. Needless to say, the numerous trips and falls meant I am really bruised, and the progress has been snail's pace. I know I have a choice to make. I can either turn back and find another passion or, persevere and continue to believe my path will eventually lead me to where I want to go.

The choice was obvious. Persevere on the passion I had set out to conquer. I couldn’t give a damn if it would lead me to success; all I know is this is a challenging path that will bring out the best in me.

I look precariously at the long road ahead and gulp. I had never pursued a passion that had lasted this long. I had been pushing myself well above my ability since the beginning of this journey. My mind has become weary, and my spirit aches in protest while my thought races in all different directions. Despite my trepidation, the voice inside me cheered, “Keep going! Winston. Keep going! You can do it!”

I was at my daughter’s school just the other day, listening to the school Principal gives a farewell speech to her students. What she said not only inspired me but left a lasting impression.

She said, “As you progress in life, you don’t always have to strive to be the best; you should strive instead to be a light to those around you and be happy with the life that God has given you.”

I jotted them down to reflect on their meaning. To me, “being the light” doesn't mean being a successful person who blissfully earns big bucks and never suffers setbacks.

It means doing things that feel good, surrendering control, trusting my intuition, showing compassion and kindness to myself and others, and believing the simple truth that “I am enough”.

It is about bringing this state of being to other places, showing other people that they, too, can be the light in somebody else’s darkness.

It is about looking for opportunities to lift someone else up. About making a conscious effort to do the things that matter. About creating my own light, however faint. It is the ability to recognize the light within, and simply let it shine.

Coffee Times has been the fruit of my labour. I have put in a lot of diligent hard work. I like to believe Coffee Times is on the right path even though I feel like there is no one but myself to keep me going. I needed to tell myself the results would come from taking small actions, over and over again. Consistent, daily action is the bread and butter to making progress.

My focus shouldn’t be on returns but on making small and consistent moves, together with slight adjustments necessary to rejuvenate the passion and renew the interest. Starting today, I will commit to publishing four articles per week instead of three, with a little change in schedule; two on weekends and two on weekdays (Tue and Thu).

It can be a struggle, but it can also be a challenge. I believe these are sustainable moves, I just have to challenge myself to break new ground every now and then. I know I can’t write viral articles that can get thousands of views, but I have to make it up by writing thousands of articles that can bring in views.

I believe this small challenge I fulfil day in and day out will eventually bring out the light within, letting it shine.

If you are struggling like me, be assured you are not alone. Recognise your light, up your ante to put in more effort and then just let it shine. You may not be aware, but somewhere on the distant shore, someone has not only noticed your light but is lifted by it.

Keep shining. Let us all strive to be a light for others, creating our own light from the darkness within.

Give me a like if you have seen my shine, I need the juice to keep it going.

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