The Principle of Imperceptible Success

A recent article from Modern Healthcare about the Affordable Care Act's population health efforts, available at http://www.modernhealthcare.com/article/20150108/blog/301089997&utm_source=AltURL&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=am?mh,  pointed out that the investment in these efforts may take time to see results.

So it goes with mostly all efforts to succeed.  Whether it is investing in the health of populations or one person, or investing in yourself through education or a new venture, very rarely do the results happen overnight.  Achieving success in health or business is like turning around a large ship:  it takes a vision of where you want to go, and sustained effort and dogged commitment to getting there. Eventually, you achieve your goal even though the landscape in front of you seems to never change. But it is changing, little by little in imperceptible ways.

Take exercise as an example.  On January 1, you set a goal to slim down and get in better shape.  Each day you go to the gym and work out for your allotted time.  After a few weeks, you step on a scale and see disappointment.  Perhaps the scale moved, but not by what you had hoped.  Or, perhaps it didn't move at all.  You scratch your head, thinking about how much effort you have put into each work out, the perspiration and shortness of breath.  

The truth is, by exercising, you are improving your fitness, such as your heart rate, blood pressure and glucose processing.  See http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletters/Harvard_Health_Letter/2012/July/exercise-helps-the-heart-even-if-it-doesnt-cause-weight-loss.  Unless you are putting these measures to the test, you would not likely know you are succeeding.

Another example is found in building a business.  When first starting out, there are many days where you may feel like all those meetings, pitches, speeches, articles, or other business development activities are not paying off.  The phone isn't ringing, and no one is reaching out.  But, you are making progress.  All those efforts are whetting the appetite of your future customers.  Persistence and a clear vision will pay off, eventually. And when it does, it probably won't hit you like a ton of bricks, but just feel completely natural.  That's because you had been succeeding all along.