Something happened a few months ago. We were going for a friend's birthday party, so we met at a point to set off for the journey. It was supposed to be a 30 minute drive. But after 45 minutes, we still did not get to the destination. It was then that we decided to take a look at the direction and even asked questions well. Then we discovered that we were actually on the wrong road. So we needed to make a U-turn and find the right road. You see, all the while we were driving, we were making movement, yet no progress was made. In fact, the more we moved, the farther we were. In life, it is not all movements that equal progress. Activities do not automatically lead to result.
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A lot of people believe that they are making progress in life simply because they are busy, or because they are active and constantly doing something. What they fail to understand is that there are differences between movement and progress. You will be surprised to know that someone can be moving on a daily basis, yet remain stuck financially, mentally, emotionally, or even academically. It is when you have understood that movement and progress are not the same that you will know that activity may not guarantee growth.
Movement may simply involve actions or activities. That is, being busy with work, occupied with something, or engaged in one form of task or the other. However, progress means that you are actually going forward towards meaningful improvement, towards growth, or towards a particular result. Movement may look like someone is productive, but it is progress that actually brings about the required changes. Imagine someone driving round through a roundabout. It is true that they are making movements, judging by how many times that they have driven round it. But at the end, they are still at the roundabout, and no progress made.
Being busy is not the same thing as being productive. Being occupied does not automatically mean achievement. It is when your activities move you closer to your goals that you will say that progress has occurred. Progress often requires direction and purpose. It is not just about doing something or doing it more and more, but it is about doing the right thing consistently. A person moving is a wrong direction would also be said to be moving and even actively engaged in it, but activities without purpose and direction will eventually lead to frustration. It is when your actions align with your goals and your values that you will say that progress is being made.
Movement may just focus on activities. That is, doing something and being busy. While progress focuses on results, values and growth. Do you know that someone can repeat the same thing for years, yet without having any result from it? This may be because they did not even take a moment to evaluate if their actions are effective or not. You have to understand that progress requires evaluation, reflection, learning, and making adjustment when it becomes necessary.
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Discipline has a major role to play in progress. Some people can start an activity or a task with enthusiasm, but along the line, they may lack the consistency and the focus to continue. But when you are disciplined, you will understand that even the small consistent actions you take will bring about great results. You just need the discipline to continue. It may not look comfortable or exciting, but steady actions will produce lasting results eventually. It is discipline that will also make you to tell yourself the honest truth about where you are going to, where you are, and what it takes to get there. If you cannot tell yourself the honest truth, then progress may be far from you.
Progress matters more than just movement because progress builds fulfilment. Being busy without experiencing any noticeable growth may easily lead to exhaustion and frustration. The person may work hard, feel tired, yet feel unaccomplished if the energy put in does not equal to the result obtained. This is why you have to focus on the result, not just on the fact that you are taking actions.
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