I have been initiating small changes over the last few months, and have deliberately been taking my life slower, in the sense that whilst I am still being productive and taking action towards my ideas, I am doing this at a calmer and more steady pace. I have stopped pressurising myself by continuously thinking about my "goals", and making my focus more about the consistent steps towards them.
My Olive Tree
A few years ago, I planted a small olive tree in my garden. It was one of those dainty, lollipop-shaped ones, supported by a bamboo cane. Whilst I was in my garden last weekend, I suddenly realised just how much it has grown. I would estimate that it now stands over ten metres tall, and has multiple, strong branches spreading out in all directions.
I haven't actually noticed it growing. My olive tree has grown in silence, without applause and without comparing itself to any of the other trees in the garden. It has just "done it own thing", slowly and steadily, and now, suddenly, it is a big, strong tree, with solid foundations, withstanding all weathers (the beauty of our UK climate!), and continues to rise: the perfect metaphor for understanding the power in taking slow but consistent steps, to create solid and sustainable growth in the long run.
It Is Rarer To Have Six Pack Abs Than Be A Millionaire!
"In a World that glorifies fast results, and overnight success, it can feel counterproductive to move slowly."
It struck me that when we set goals for ourselves, we get really hung up on the desired outcome. This can lead to problems as we start measuring ourselves whilst keeping the goal firmly in our minds. This is because most of the things we would like to attain actually require us to take repeated and consistent action over a long period of time. The things that we want, more often than not, do not happen "overnight", and it is very easy to get frustrated when we are not reaching what is in our head, at break-neck speed.
In a World that glorifies fast results, and overnight success, it can feel counterproductive to move slowly. When we scroll on social media, we are constantly seeing posts about people's successes, with many of these posts promising fast results if we simply buy into what they are selling.
Let's take a common fitness goal as a good example of this. Can you really build six pack abs, with ten minute workouts, in four weeks? There are videos that definitely tell us we can! This might be achievable if you already have a very low body fat percentage, are paying very close attention to what you are eating, and have a very good level of fitness already, but did you know it is rarer to have a six pack than it is to be a millionaire?!
Greg Grezsiak on Gritdaily.com (2025) cites:
”Multiple sources have cited that only 1 in 10,000 people over 40 become millionaires. Even rarer? Only 1 in 25,000 people over 40 maintain a visible six-pack, meaning they have a low enough body fat percentage to reveal those abs."
Bearing this in mind, how likely does it now seem that we can build six pack abs in four weeks? Highly unlikely, would be the answer. What this also tells us is that what we are being fed on a daily basis (with regards to our fitness ideals in this case) is often completely unrealistic to what is actually achievable. It is simply a clever marketing tool to make sales by offering us a “quick win”.
Growing Slowly Is Growing Sustainably
"Always remember the Tortoise and the Hare... Slow and steady wins the race."
Whilst fast growth can feel exciting, it can often offer no solid foundation for sustained growth. Deciding to implement a bunch of different changes or habits in your life, all in one go (something I have been very guilty of doing, all of my life) can lead to burn-out, frustration, and then relapsing back into old ways, and often ending up in a far worse situation than before.
Take trying to lose weight fast, as a good example of this. You start out super-restricting yourself in order to reach a goal in your mind. This restriction might be OK for a short while, but then you find yourself tired and hungry, you end up over-eating, and this is followed by feelings of despair, emptiness and failure. This can then lead to emotional eating and subsequently over-consuming, and you end up feeling worse than you did when you started.
A more realistic approach would be to commit to something simple, such as increasing your daily steps or moving your body in some way, more regularly, combined with getting real with yourself about what you are actually consuming. If you are a late-night-snacker, try pulling that snack forward a few hours to give yourself more time to digest it, or cut it out entirely. There is no shortcut. Faddy dieting is not sustainable eating.
Always remember the Tortoise and the Hare... Slow and steady wins the race.
Creating Gentle Boundaries Over Hard Rules
"Be stubborn about your goals, but be flexible in your methods"
When we start shutting out the noise, and prioritising showing up for ourselves in small ways, we are setting the stage for real, life-changing improvements to happen.
Consistency over intensity is the absolute key to success.
Every small step (no matter how insignificant it feels towards the bigger picture), a morning walk, a single journal entry, one sketch, one new habit started, or a new hobby explored is a step towards the future you are dreaming of creating.
You don't have to overhaul your life in a weekend.
You don't have to be constantly productive.
Setting gentle boundaries for ourselves allows us room to be human. We are ultimately human beings, not human doings, and when we allow ourselves to take simple, actionable steps towards our bigger ideas, we give ourselves room to breathe. This helps prevent burn-out, strengthens our foundations, and also let's us change course and adapt our processes, as and when we need to.
There is a wonderful saying that goes "Be stubborn about your goals, but be flexible in your methods". When we create hard and fast rules for ourselves, it is trickier to deviate from the plan without feeling like we are somehow failing. If you need to adapt your plan, see it as a plot twist, and carry on!
Silence Is Golden
"Psychological benefits of silence can include enhanced creativity, focus, self control, self awareness, perspective and spirituality."
The older i have got, the more I appreciate and understand how important "quietness" is, with regards to implementing changes in my life.
I have found that the less external noise I am subjecting my brain to, is in direct equilibrium with how much clearer my focus is. Having a neurodivergent brain is complex at the best of times, but for everyone, the benefits of taking a quieter route are seriously beneficial.
Writing for The Positive Psychology People, Sarah Monk (2018) confirms this:
"Psychological benefits of silence can include enhanced creativity, focus, self control, self awareness, perspective and spirituality."
Taking a quieter route, growing in silence, retaining your focus, and taking small, actionable steps, is the ultimate way to lay the foundations for a slow but solid growth plan.
Consistency Beats Perfection. Slow Down, You Are Doing Fine!
"Success doesn't come from what you do occasionally, it comes from what you do consistently." - Marie Forleo
Showing up, time after time, on your good days, on your bad days, and even "imperfectly", often matters more than natural ability, and whilst slow growth is not glamorous, it is sustainable.
SO... take your next small step. Ditch the timeline. Give yourself permission to grow like an olive tree; strong, slow and firmly rooted. Build something that is going to last, and is sustainable to keep actioning.
Be silly, be kind, be weird. There is no time for anything else.
XOXO
Greg Grezsiak, Be A Multi-Millionaire or Have Six Pack Abs? Why Not Both?
Sarah Monk, The Power of Silence