Navigating the Gap Between Effort and Results.
Personal growth and running a business have been constants in my adult life. Over the years, I’ve noticed parallels between the two. Both involve confronting problems and embracing change to move toward a goal. And yet, there’s one phase of change that stands out as the hardest to tolerate. But it’s also the most rewarding phase.
The most challenging phase of change is the gap between investment and return. It’s the period where I’ve poured time, money, and energy into something, but I don’t yet see results. This moment requires us to rely on blind faith—especially the first time we go through it.
The first time I experienced this was in therapy. Later, I faced it in business.
Being in this phase is vulnerable and anxiety-provoking. It can feel isolating and lonely. There’s an unsettling realization that no one can rescue you from the decision you’ve made. You can (and should) ask for help, but that help is a tool, not a solution or a rescue mission. This is where many people give up, ensuring they never see the fruits of their labor.
The uncertainty of how long this “faith” stage lasts can add to the challenge. Sometimes, it’s necessary to recognize that your investment isn’t yielding results. This is where we must avoid falling into the sunk cost fallacy. This fallacy is the trap of continuing to invest in something because we’ve already put so much into it. Sometimes, things don’t work out.
But when things are progressing, even when slow, persistence is vital. The investment phase won’t last forever. In time, you’ll begin to enjoy the rewards of your hard work and patience.
The Phases of Change
To understand why the investment phase is so difficult, it helps to look at the full process of change. Each phase has its own challenges, but they all build on one another.
Here’s how I see the process of change. These phases reflect both personal growth and business development:
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Desire and Fantasy: This is where dreams take shape. You imagine who you want to be or what you want to build. It’s the moment someone envisions their improved life. They see themselves sober, better at setting boundaries, or thriving in a new career. In business, it’s identifying the problem you want to solve.
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Decision to Start: This is the action phase. You begin implementing self-help strategies, drafting business plans, or conducting market research. It’s the leap from dreaming to doing.
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Investment Period: Here’s where the real work begins. You commit significant time, energy, and resources. In therapy, you dive deep into your issues by exploring patterns and core wounds. This is the “it gets worse before it gets better” phase. In business, it’s about building foundations. You hire people, buy equipment, and put in long hours without immediate rewards.
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Promotion: With a foundation in place, you start putting yourself out there. In business, this means marketing and attracting clients. In personal growth, it’s trying on new boundaries, behaviors, or ways of thinking. This phase is often more rewarding because you begin to see results.
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Return on Investment: This is where stability starts. Changes no longer feel overwhelming. In business, you trust your systems to operate well and adapt to surprises. You’ve built solid patterns of exchange between you and your customers or community.
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Expansion: At this point, you go back to dreaming. You envision what’s next and start the process again.
Why the Investment Phase Is So Hard
Every phase has its challenges, but the investment phase often trips people up the most. Why? Because it’s the phase that requires the most faith. You’re doing hard, often uncomfortable work without seeing immediate results.
When triggers like fear, doubt, or discomfort arise, it’s easy to question yourself. The isolation of this phase can feel overwhelming, and the temptation to quit is strong. But this is also where the most meaningful growth happens.
That said, not every investment should succeed. Sometimes, we have to step back and recognize that our efforts aren’t yielding results. It’s important to stay flexible and avoid doubling down on something that isn’t working. Every investment is an experiment that might fail—and that’s okay.
Embracing the Process
The key to lasting change is learning to embrace each phase with confidence. When we trust the process, we stop obsessing over the endpoint. There is no final destination where we’re “done” and everything is perfect.
Instead, the goal is to make the process itself sustainable—and even fun. We hone our approach and take each stage in stride. Then we can move through challenges with less doubt and more clarity.
The process doesn’t end—it repeats itself. True growth happens when we stop searching for an endpoint. Instead, focus on how to make the process meaningful and enjoyable.
