Have you ever felt like what you were doing wasn’t having an impact?
I think we all have, especially if you’re an entrepreneur. It feels like we’re on a hamster wheel—sometimes running and never getting anywhere. Despite all the consistent effort, there’s often very little impact.
For me, this perfectly describes my health journey. For almost a year I had been trying to lose weight. It wasn’t so much the number on the scale, but how I felt. I had low energy all the time and when I tried to hike—something I’ve always loved and been able to do—I was struggling.
When It Feels Like Your Efforts Don’t Matter
After a couple of years of working out with no results, I decided to talk to a nutritionist friend. She encouraged me to eat more whole foods and cut back on processed ones.
I was already running regularly and figured the combo (diet and exercise) would do the trick. It didn’t.
What do you do in these moments when your plan doesn’t work? Do you give up and quit? Do you complain? Or do you keep going?
How you handle disappointment when you can’t see progress is critical for your success.
Another example of this is all those things you do that no one sees. Maybe you’re the one at work who always starts the office dishwasher full of everyone’s dirty dishes.
Maybe your husband doesn’t notice all the things you do at home to make life easier for him and the kids.
Do you give up and stop doing those things? Do you wait until someone notices these extras and acknowledges your effort? Or do you keep going, knowing you’re making an impact?
The Power of Consistent Effort
A couple weeks ago, it was our big fall fundraiser at work. That meant I had a different work schedule and came in later in the day. The later start means lighter traffic patterns, which is a HUGE blessing here in the DC area.
But I also got to see something in my neighborhood, something I’ve never seen before. A lady, probably in her 70s or older was walking along one of the main roads in the neighborhood. She wasn’t just getting exercise, though—she was picking up trash.
This road gets a lot of thru-traffic and as a result, a lot of people who don’t live here use the road. Honestly, I hadn’t noticed the trash before, but I noticed this frail little lady out there cleaning it up.
What an amazing thing she was doing. She wasn’t waiting for the city to clean up the street. She wasn’t waiting for someone more capable, better suited to the task to step up. She didn’t even organize a community meeting to point fingers at who was leaving the trash.
She saw a need, and she took it upon herself to make her neighborhood a better place.
Here’s the thing. I saw her out there again the next day. Picking up trash on another stretch of the road. She was out the following day as well.
Small Actions Make a Big Difference
She didn’t let the size of the problem scare her off. It could be easy for her to get frustrated and quit, but she didn’t. She did what she could each day and kept plugging away at the problem.
This wonderful lady may not ever receive any appreciation for her efforts. She may never have anyone join her crusade. And it certainly isn’t going to stop the rude litterers from throwing things out the window as they drive by.
But she sure inspired me. It reminded me that regardless of when I see the impact of my efforts, I need to keep doing the things that make a difference in the lives of those around me. I need to be willing to go out, day after day, and give it my all. Even if I don’t get the credit and regardless of the accolades, I need to keep showing up.
By the way, I’m finally seeing results on my health journey—I’m halfway to my goal! Like that woman in my neighborhood, I didn’t give up. I just kept showing up, trying new things, and trusting that consistent effort would lead to change.
Whether it’s improving your health, building a business, or serving your community, consistency and persistence are what ultimately make the biggest impact.