What is progress? 

I had to laugh when I read Norwegian ethnologist Thor Heyerdahl’s clever definition of progress.  He said that “Progress is man’s ability to complicate simplicity.” Despite our supposed progress as a species, human beings have a knack for making life more complicated, more challenging and harder to enjoy.  Most would agree that contentment comes from enjoying the “little things” in life, yet the mad and unrelenting pursuit of the next best thing keeps the majority of people, particularly in developed nations, rather busy.

Progress is made possible by those who “do” moreso than by those who talk about doing. Some, like Oscar Wilde, feel as he put it that “[d]iscontent is the first step of a man or a nation” while others, like science-fiction writer Robert Heinlein, feel that “[p]rogress is made by lazy men looking for easier ways to do things.” Whatever the cause or motivation, progress is made possible by the “doers” in this world.

If you have ever devoted yourself to the learning of some new skill, you know what it takes to progress.  Here are a few points that will will help you be a successful “doer,” capable of progressing in any activity you undertake:

1. Learn the principles at work. For example, if you are learning to cook healthy meals, a general awareness of the principles involved that govern the activity is always helpful and can complement a natural or internal sensing of what is right and fitting.
2. Familiarize yourself with the historical context. Sometimes an awareness of the historical factors that have shaped the development of the activity are useful knowledge. If you are starting a new business, for instance, an understanding of the development of your industry and of the evolution of the needs of the market you serve can be quite an advantage.
3. Find out what has worked and what hasn’t, but don’t stop there. Past failures can help guide you as much as past successes, but occasionally progress is made because someone was ignorant of the fact that it “couldn’t be done.” Dare to move beyond what others say is or isn’t possible. 
4. Apply yourself consistently and avoid as much as possible movement by fits and starts. Anyone who has dieted or sought to improve his fitness levels is likely painfully familiar with this necessity. If you decide to make progress in an area, stick to it.  Make it a priority. Distractions always come, and he who is most graceful at handling the distraction and then picking up where he left off is most likely to enjoy steady progress.
5. Maintain your focus and attention after break-through or “aha!” moments. Progress can be stopped by inattention following a victory. Taking too much time patting yourself on the back or seeking approbation can lead to taking your eyes off the next step. A friend of mine once completed an amazing bicycle trick on a half pipe only to crash on the other side as he looked back to see the reactions of his friends.
6. Develop the habit of bringing solutions rather than reasons why it can’t be done. Nothing places more of a drag on progress than complaint, whining and pessimism.   

Teddy Roosevelt said wisely that “It behooves every man to remember that the work of the critic , is of altogether secondary importance, and that, in the end, progress is accomplished by the man who does things.” Progress is the natural state, and fortune favors those who can adapt to the necessities of the moment.  If you regress or digress, you’ve likely misread the clues and cues given to you by life. Move quickly to regain the perspective necessary to rejoin the path of progress and you will minimize pain, suffering and the endless round mistaken for life. Don’t delay progress another day.  It’s not worth the trouble!

Have a great day…