"Patience is waiting. Not passively waiting. But to keep going when the going is hard and slow—that is patience." — Leo Tolstoy

Ever feel like you’re doing everything right, but the results just aren’t coming fast enough?

You make a few healthy meals, do a couple workouts, drink the water…and then step on the scale or look in the mirror, hoping to feel different.

But when nothing has visibly changed, it’s deflating.

So you start questioning the plan…or yourself.

You might even catch yourself:

• Googling new programs after just a week of trying one

• Repeating “what’s the point?” after a day of eating well if your clothes still feel tight

• Thinking “I’ll just restart next Monday” because this week didn’t magically change everything

• Feeling annoyed that you're putting in effort, but results are slow or invisible

If any of that sounds familiar, let me say this clearly:

There’s nothing wrong with you.

You’re just living in a culture that has trained your brain to expect instant results.

We live in a world where you can order something on Amazon and have it at your doorstep the next morning. You can binge an entire show in one sitting. You can Google the answer to almost anything in seconds. Need dinner? Just click a button and it’s on the way.

This culture of convenience teaches us that if we want something, we should be able to have it right now.

But when you bring that same expectation into something like behavior change—something that requires discomfort, practice, and time—it sets you up to feel like you're constantly falling short.

You start believing that if progress isn’t happening fast, it must not be happening at all.

So instead of pushing through the discomfort of slow, sometimes invisible progress, you throw in the towel and chase the next shiny object that promises results…fast.

And while it's true that convenience culture might make life easier in some ways...

It’s also making long-term change feel a LOT harder than it needs to be.

Because when you're used to never having to wait, it becomes really uncomfortable to experience:

• Longing

• Boredom

• Uncertainty

• Effort without immediate reward

And if you’ve been conditioned to avoid those emotions, you’ll likely start avoiding the habits that require you to sit with them.

So, how do you shift out of that mindset?

Start by recognizing this:

Convenience is like junk food for your goals—satisfying in the moment, but it leaves you undernourished and craving more in the long run.

That’s why it helps to pause and check in with yourself before you default to the “easy” option.

🔍 The Convenience Check-In Framework

The next time you feel frustrated with your progress or tempted to give up because things aren’t changing fast enough…

Or you find yourself looking for a new plan or “hack” that promises faster results…

Pause.

Then ask yourself one or more of these three questions:

1. Am I choosing this for efficiency…or escape?

Are you picking the easier option because it truly frees up time and energy in your day? (Smart!)

Or are you using it to avoid something uncomfortable?

Example 1: You spend your evening searching for a new at-home workout program because your schedule just changed and your longer commute makes it harder to get to the gym. You’re adapting your plan to stay consistent. That’s efficiency.

Example 2: You’ve already bought or saved multiple programs but haven’t finished (or even started) them. Starting a new one might be an attempt to avoid the discomfort of following through when the initial burst of motivation wears off.

Example 3: You had a stressful day and you're tempted to skip your walk and scroll on your phone. If that helps you decompress in a meaningful way, great. But if it’s just numbing out, it might be avoidance—disguised as rest.

2. What feeling am I trying to avoid by speeding this up?

Impatience? Insecurity? The discomfort of not seeing results right away?

Example 1: You find yourself googling “ways to lose 10 pounds in 2 weeks” even though you’ve been making small, realistic changes. Are you trying to avoid the slow, steady route because it makes you feel like you’re not doing enough?

Example 2: Maybe you're chasing fast results because deep down, a part of you feels like you need to prove your worth quickly—as if you're not allowed to take up space unless you're actively shrinking yourself.

Try asking:

“Would I still feel pressure to rush if I already believed I was enough as I am?”

3. What might I gain by allowing myself to wait?

Patience is a skill. Sitting with discomfort builds resilience. Slowing down often brings more clarity, not less.

Example 1: You had a long day and dinner feels like too much effort, so you’re reaching for delivery again—even though you planned to cook a quick stir-fry. If you pause and make the 10-minute meal you prepped ingredients for, you might gain more than a balanced dinner. You gain a small sense of pride, some follow-through, and maybe even a mood shift that carries into tomorrow.

Example 2: You're halfway through a 4-week walking challenge and feeling discouraged because you haven’t seen a big difference in the mirror. But if you keep going? You might discover how much better your joints feel, how your sleep improves, and how consistency (not intensity) becomes the thing you’re most proud of.

Let’s be clear:

These check-ins aren’t about guilt.

They’re about awareness—building the emotional intelligence and patience to not give up just because your results aren't instant.

Because the real “shortcut” to success?

It’s not convenience.

It’s consistency.

And consistency comes from learning to stay with yourself in the uncomfortable moments.

The moments when quitting—or chasing a faster fix—feels like the most logical option.

The moments when your brain says,

“You’re not doing enough.”

“You should be further along by now.”

It’s in those moments that patience isn’t just a mindset.

It’s an act of self-worth.

Because when you truly believe you’re enough as you are, you stop needing quick results to prove your value.

Over to you:

Where in your life do you notice convenience being your default choice...even if it’s not actually helping you reach your goals?

Leave a comment below and let me know—I’d love to hear what’s coming up for you.

And if you're not already part of my free community, The Messy Practice, join us there!

We're diving into this exact topic in our next live session, and I’d love for you to be part of the conversation.