When nothing is happening

Feeling stuck? You’re not alone.

Putting in your best effort and seeing no progress is frustrating. It can make you feel like nothing you do matters. Whether it’s:

Sticking to a diet,
Getting fit,
Trying to start a business,
Learning a new skill,
Getting over an ex who dumped you,
Or working toward any personal goal

feeling STUCK is tough.

It can make you feel incompetent and dumb. You may feel like all your efforts to improve your life are completely useless. You might think, “I’m doing everything right—why isn’t it working?!”

Maybe you’re eating healthier, exercising, or maintaining No contact with your ex. But the results feel miles away. When that happens, it’s easy to lose motivation and give up.

You may get totally demotivated and let yourself go as a result.

After all, why work so hard when you can take it easy – and still get NO results?

I know just how frustrating this might feel and how much you need to hear some words of encouragement right now.

But before you lose hope, let’s talk about why progress isn’t always obvious-and what you can do about it.

Why Aren’t You Seeing Results?

First, remember: every action has a consequence.

Think about cooking. If you throw fish in a pan, would you expect an omelet? Of course not.

The same logic applies to your goals.

You can’t get the same results if you follow a 90-day strict diet and if you eat sweets and carbs and don’t have any physical activity at all.

Even when you don’t see it, progress is happening.

But results rarely appear overnight. Sometimes, they take weeks or even months to show. The key is to stay patient and keep doing what you’re doing. Quitting too soon can erase all the progress you’ve already made.

Now, let’s break down some reasons why you might feel stuck.

Where Did You Start?

Your starting point matters.

You can’t lose 100 lbs in three months.
You can’t run a marathon without building endurance first.
You can’t paint a masterpiece without learning the basics like drawing shapes and shadows.
You can’t forget your ex overnight—but you can start emotionally detaching from them. See how in this book

In other words, if you’re starting from scratch, it would take longer to see results than someone with experience.

And that’s okay!

After all, you need to start somewhere. The important thing is to keep going and not compare yourself to others.

Have You Given It Enough Time?

Sometimes, the problem isn’t effort, it’s patience.

Effort + Time are the two key factors for anything to manifest in your life.

Think about baking a cake.

Mixing the ingredients isn’t enough – you have to let it bake. The same goes for your goals. If you’re doing everything right but still don’t see results, you might just need more time.

Have You Been Truly Consistent?

If you’ve been on a diet for three months but had cheat days, skipped workouts, or indulged in late-night snacks—were you really consistent?

If you skipped dance lessons because you weren’t in the mood, can you say you fully committed?

Consistency is key. You can spend years working on a goal but never achieve it if you aren’t fully committed.

The danger of Quitting Too Soon

Before you give up and throw away all the progress that you’ve made, I want you to consider something.

Failure can become a habit.

In my previous articles about motivation, I explained why failure attracts more failure and why success attracts more success.

Failing once or twice doesn’t define you. But giving up repeatedly can lead to a “loser” mindset. It can shake your confidence and make you believe you’re incapable – even when you’re not.

Psychologists call this learned helplessness. It’s when you stop trying because you believe nothing will work, even when opportunities come your way.

To avoid this, create small “wins” for yourself.

Finish projects. Reward yourself for small victories. Build momentum. If something isn’t working, find another way. See the psychology of unfinished business and what it does to your brain.

There’s always a workaround.

So What Should You Do Now?

If you’re doing everything right but still feel stuck, here’s what I suggest: persist.

Commit to three months of consistency. No obsessing over progress – just stick to your plan.
Don’t quit. Keep going, even when it feels pointless.
Measure your progress after three months. You’ll likely see more progress than you expected.

Hard work WILL pay off, I promise. Just remember – Rome wasn’t built in a day.

What is really important might not exactly be what you thought of

You may not have looked at it that way, but whether you will have a six-pack body or a six-digit amount in your bank account, is not what is REALLY important.

Success isn’t just about the goal itself. It’s about who you become in the process:

resilient
determined
mentally strong
never giving up and accepting defeat.

Think of Tom Cruise’s character in The Last Samurai.

Trust the process.

These qualities will serve you far beyond your current goal. Life is unpredictable, and things won’t always go as planned. But if you develop a strong mindset, you’ll handle challenges like a winner.

Let go of negative thoughts. Get used to thinking rationally and not emotionally. Learn how to develop a colder personality.

When you change your mindset, you won’t be bothered by questions like: “Why am I not getting results, despite working so hard?” , you will trust yourself that what you are doing is right.

Keep going. Your results are coming.

Found this helpful?

Consider also these related articles:

Why sticking to a routine might make you anxious

How to create daily habits if you have anxiety

What to do when it seems that nothing’s working out

The reason you are chronically dissatisfied

How to achieve all of your dreams

How to prevent demotivation

Why some people succeed and others don’t

How to never give up when you face obstacles

How to stop feeling powerless