Slow feedback loops.

You go to the gym on day one. It's hard to do anything. Takes a lot of effort just to overcome the anxiety that you are new at this.

And when you are done, nothing moves, at least not in the right direction. Your body feels more or less the same. The number on the weighing scale is where it was, maybe even slightly higher.

Same with eating a healthy meal, sleeping well, or drinking enough water.

Nothing much moves instantly.

But, if you persist, if you stay on track for 3-6 months, things start moving, first slowly and then consistently.

This is the Dip that Seth Godin talks about, the phase we have to go through where we don't get much outside feedback.

There are two things we can do here. One, set up faster feedback systems. Instead of tracking your weight, track the days you go to the gym. Every time you go, you get a plus one.

And the other is understanding this curve you are on - naming the dip.

This is as true for strength training as it is for building a business or working on a relationship. There is a delay between the effort and the outcome - the feedback loops are slow.