Trusting the process: consistency, patience and staying the course.

Dear Reader,

Have you ever flipped through old journals or planners and discovered a scattering of abandoned projects? Some half-done. Some that never made it past the blueprint stage. Others preserved as beautifully detailed ideas we promised ourselves we’d return to, eventually.

I know this pattern well. I’ve often written down elaborate concepts, obsessed over them for days, sometimes weeks, only to lose momentum before they could fully take shape. And on the rare occasions I do carry a project all the way to the end, it isn’t always fuelled by joy or curiosity, but by the promise of relief.

A desire to be done.

To cross it off.

To escape the discomfort of being suspended in the middle of the process.

Somewhere along the way, the process itself became something to endure rather than something to appreciate.

And this, my friend, is where things quietly start going south.

Most of the time, when we begin something meaningful, something that requires growth, discipline, or emotional investment, we do it with the outcome firmly in mind.

We chase clarity.

Completion.

Validation.

Progress becomes transactional.

And in the rush to arrive, we miss the essence of what could have been a truly transformative journey.

(Personally, I blame the fairy tales I grew up watching. They trained me to wait eagerly for the true love’s kiss at the end, while missing all the richness, tension, and growth happening in the rest of the plot.)

Sometimes it's the journey that teaches you a lot about your destination. -Drake

Which brings me to what I’ve been reflecting on lately: trusting the process, what it actually means, not as a motivational cliché, but as a lived, daily practice.

Trusting the process asks us to slow down. To embrace uncertainty. To build a higher tolerance for risk and ambiguity. And (I’ll hold your virtual hand while saying this) to remain engaged even after the excitement fades, especially when progress feels invisible and effort seems unrewarded.

This is where trust and patience are tested.

Because trusting the process isn’t about blind optimism.

It’s about endurance.

It’s about staying when there’s no immediate feedback loop telling you you’re doing it “right.”

From a psychological standpoint, this discomfort is deeply human.

Research on delayed gratification and self-regulation, most famously studied by psychologist Walter Mischel, shows that our brains are wired to prefer immediate rewards over long-term gains. When progress is slow or unclear, motivation naturally drops, not because we lack discipline, but because the nervous system interprets uncertainty as a threat.

Neuroscience also tells us that motivation is largely dopamine-driven. Dopamine spikes not when we achieve a goal, but when we anticipate a reward. Once novelty wears off and the outcome feels distant, the brain reduces its motivational signal. This is often the point where projects are abandoned—not due to lack of ability, but lack of neurological reinforcement.

Trusting the process, then, becomes the ultimate test of patience and emotional endurance.

It requires staying grounded when the brain wants proof, continuing when the ego wants applause, and choosing consistency over intensity. It’s the quiet work of showing up when no one is watching, when progress can’t yet be measured, and when the only evidence you have is your commitment.

And perhaps that’s the point.

Because the process doesn’t just shape the outcome, it reshapes us.

Why Learning to Trust the Process Matters

1. It Shifts You from Outcome Addiction to Growth

According to Self-Determination Theory (Deci & Ryan), intrinsic motivation, driven by mastery, curiosity, and meaning, is far more sustainable than motivation driven by external validation or quick wins. Trusting the process rewires motivation toward growth rather than approval.

2. It Improves Focus and Decision-Making

When you stop constantly checking for results, mental energy is freed for deeper, more meaningful work. Cognitive psychology shows that uncertainty narrows attention unless consciously reframed. Trusting the process widens cognitive bandwidth, improving problem-solving and creativity.

Simply put, you think more clearly because you’re no longer rushing the future.

3. It Reduces Self-Sabotage

Most projects aren’t abandoned because they’re impossible—but because they’re uncomfortable. Learning to trust the process helps normalize boredom, frustration, and doubt.

Psychologically, this reduces threat-based thinking, allowing the nervous system to stay regulated instead of reactive.

How to Trust the Process

With a new year, new goals, and higher expectations, resistance is inevitable, especially after the initial January momentum fades. But resistance isn’t a sign you’re failing. It’s a sign you’re stretching.

This is when trusting the process matters most.

1. Measure Effort, Not Outcomes

Redefine success as showing up consistently. Track effort, skills learned, and time invested, not just results. This keeps motivation steady and helps you romanticize the process.

When you fall in love with the becoming, you stop living only for the finish line and start building a life worth waking up to.

2. Create a Minimum Commitment Rule

While “eat the frog” has its place, flexibility matters. On low-energy days, commit to the smallest possible version of the task. This builds momentum and dismantles perfectionism, the root of procrastination.

Progress doesn’t require intensity.

It requires continuity.

3. Play the Long Game

Look beyond the goal itself.

Ask: Who will I be after this chapter is behind me?

Learn to separate feelings from facts. Emotional flatness does not equal lack of progress. Expect a boring phase and prepare for it. When you anticipate a plateau, you’re far less likely to quit, you saw it coming.

I would love to tell you that when you implement these three tips, it’s going to be super easy and rewarding but nothing built on a lie is ever good.

So, I’m forced to be honest.

It won’t be seamless.

It won’t always be rewarding and there’s days your thoughts will race, and you’ll want a way out.

Trusting the process rarely comes with instant reassurance.

However, it’s the skill that determines whether you abandon your potential or grow into it.

Choose consistency over intensity and make sparkle to the thought of growth and an exciting journey with an unpredictable plot.

Choose one goal you’re currently rushing.

For the next 30 days, track effort, not results.

Stay engaged past the boredom. Trust the process long enough to let it change you.

And the next time you flip through your journals, may you find fewer abandoned ideas and more evidence that you trusted yourself enough to continue.

Love,

Me <3

P.S.: It gets better, always.