July 19, 202410 min de lectura

😫 How to enjoy the process when you don't see results · The Bunker #94

Hi friend 👋🏻!

A Newsletter in which we talk about UX Design and the Freelance Journey, dedicated to those who are starting out in both worlds and who feel identified.

From The Bunker, we accompany you on the way.

Ufff… today’s topic is complicated, isn’t it?

I know you’re tired of everyone telling you, “Enjoy the process, don’t stress out.” Sure, it’s easy to say when you already have all the success in the world, but I bet you also had your moments of stress when you were starting out and saw no future in what you were doing. Did you enjoy the process back then too?

This is something that has been hard for me to learn, and maybe I’m learning it now because I’m starting to see some light in everything I do.

So, before trying to explain why it’s important to enjoy the process more than the success itself, let’s define: What is success?

How to Enjoy the Process Even When You Don’t See Results

Ufff… today’s topic is complicated, isn’t it?

I know you’re tired of everyone telling you, “Enjoy the process, don’t stress out.” It’s easy to say when you already have all the success in the world, but surely even those people had moments of stress when they were starting out and saw no future in what they were doing. Did they enjoy the process back then too?

This is something that has been hard for me to learn, and maybe I’m learning it now because I’m starting to see some light in everything I do.

Before trying to explain why it’s important to enjoy the process more than the success itself, let’s define: What is success?

Defining Success

Success is a subjective concept and varies greatly from person to person. For some, it might be reaching a high position in their career, for others, it could be having a happy family, and for others still, simply living in peace and health. The key is to understand that success is not a fixed destination, but a continuous journey. Why?

Because you won’t always know what your success is. When I started, I didn’t know that my definition of success would be having a full and peaceful life. I thought it would be having a lot of money, for example.

So, it’s possible that your definition and what you seek as success will change over time, and that’s why it’s important not to skip family meals or miss summer parties with friends, because these are unique moments. Achieving things doesn’t mean sacrificing your life. That’s why it’s important to enjoy the journey, enjoy what you’re experiencing, even if it’s frustrating. You have to have a long-term vision; if you’re frustrated by doing things now that don’t work out, it’s because you’re still too focused on wanting the result tomorrow. If your goal is to be a full-time freelancer and earn at least €2,000 a month (something quite normal to aspire to), you’ll realize you’re making progress when you start earning €50-€200 a month little by little.

In fact, thinking long-term is enjoying the journey. I go out partying because I know this is a long road and to enjoy it, I need to have my moments of fun too. It’s not worth it, nor is it necessary to sacrifice anything.

Success is not synonymous with sacrifice, but with patience, perseverance, consistency, and effort over a long period of time.

It’s relevant to make one website a week for three years. It’s not relevant to make one website a day for five months. Why? Because after five months, you’ll be super burnt out.

Why It’s Important to Enjoy the Process

For me, the skill with the most potential this century so far is patience. For me, the most successful people are those who know how to master patience and consistency.

For all those who are at a moment where they don’t see results and are thinking: Okay, I need to have a long-term mindset, but how do I understand this if I’m not achieving anything yet and all I want is to pay my bills.

The first thing you need to understand here is that I believe you haven’t understood things well so far.

Any successful person will tell you this: Nothing worth having is easy or quick to get. Everything in life that is worth having requires a lot of time and effort.

Therefore, look for a job in something else that allows you to get by and survive every day, but don’t give up everything to achieve this goal you define as success.

This is simple: To achieve this goal and reach success: You must understand that:

Nothing worth having will be achieved quickly or easily, otherwise everybody would do it. Therefore, you must understand and prepare yourself from minute one to have patience; this will be a long... long road.

So, if you start with this mindset, without trying too hard or being obsessive, you begin to train patience, and when you work with patience in your head, things turn out very differently. Because when you do something thinking long-term, the result is very different than when you want to do something to get it all now.

In fact, for me, I would say that success is not the result itself: Because if I work all my life to get a Ferrari and at 40 years old I get it, my day-to-day life won’t change much. At most, the first week will be super cool, but after four months, then what?

That’s why for me, the definition of success is: Achieving a fulfilling life, doing something that fills me, and having a peaceful life. Being able to have patience with things and knowing how to dance in the rain, adapting to difficult situations that arise, controlling my anxiety, and managing my emotions. Understanding that what I’m doing takes time and it’s more important for me to be comfortable in my room every day when I sit down to work than to be comfortable only when I achieve that goal.

So, to enjoy the process, there are several things that make it more pleasant or easier: The most important thing when you want to enjoy a process that isn’t giving you results yet is to work a lot on:

Remembering why I do things
Remembering where I want to go or who I want to become
Working on rewarding myself little by little
Breaking down my super ambitious goals into small projects

Today we will focus on the third one. And for me, it’s something super important.

If you’re going to be working really hard at the gym, then reward yourself on the weekend. Understand that getting strong isn’t about one month, but about three years of going four times a week, eating a varied diet, and being responsible.

So, if you feel like having a pizza with your friend on the weekend, eat it. Reward yourself for the efforts you make, don’t always demand so much from yourself.

Think of it as if it weren’t you, but an employee of yours who is working for something and you have to keep rewarding them to make the journey worthwhile.

The goal is not to get super strong; the goal is to go four times a week and become an athlete.

Change the mentality from:

Goal: get strong
Goal: become a sporty person

It’s not so much the goal itself, but achieving that transformation.

Goal: read one book a year
Goal: become a recurrent reader who enjoys reading

The goal is not to read the book, but to enjoy every page you read.

Why Is It Important to Think Long Term?

Personal Development: Each step in the process, even failures, teaches you something valuable. Learning to value and enjoy these lessons can make you more resilient and adaptable.
Intrinsic Motivation: When you find pleasure in what you do, your motivation doesn’t depend on external factors. This helps you keep going even when the results aren’t what you expected.
Stress Reduction: Obsessing over the final result can generate anxiety and stress. Focusing on the process allows you to enjoy the present and reduce pressure.

Strategies to Enjoy the Process

Set Realistic and Small Goals: Instead of setting large long-term goals, divide your objectives into small, achievable goals. Celebrating these small achievements can be very gratifying.
Practice Mindfulness: Being present in each task and enjoying the moment can completely change your perspective. Practicing mindfulness can help you find joy in daily work. Things you may have automated, for example, instead of eating a puree with headphones in the kitchen, take the plate and sit on the balcony while watching people pass by. Or take a Coke and sit on a bench in a park.
Find Learning in Each Step: Instead of seeing mistakes as failures, view them as opportunities to learn. This transforms each obstacle into a valuable experience.
Surround Yourself with Positive Support: Being in contact with people who support and motivate you can make the process more bearable and enjoyable.
Remember Your Passion: Reconnecting with the reason you started your project can renew your enthusiasm and make you enjoy the journey more.

Conclusion

Enjoying the process doesn’t mean ignoring your goals or stopping aspiring to success.

It’s about finding a balance where you can value and learn from each step in your journey, making the pursuit of success an enriching experience and not a source of stress.

And even if you don’t see it yet, a person who is consistent and persevering every day is bound to be successful in life because this is the mindset of a successful person.

And even if you don’t see it yet, being two years without achieving anything is:

A sign that you are a persevering person who, despite not seeing results, trusts and keeps working.
Part of the journey to success. You’ll see it later, trust me.

Until next time,

Jordi Espinosa.

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