Progress in fitness, weight loss, and strength training feels amazing—until it doesn’t. We all love the feeling of hitting new personal bests, seeing the scale move, or building momentum in our workouts. But what happens when that progress slows down? When you hit a plateau? When your body doesn’t seem to respond the way it used to?
For many people, progress becomes a measuring stick for success. The moment results stall, doubt creeps in. This is what I call the curse of progress. If you’re not constantly improving, it feels like you’re moving backward—even when you’re not.
Why Do We Feel Like This?
The issue isn’t that you’re not making progress. The issue is how we define progress.
- If you’re used to getting stronger in the gym but suddenly struggle to lift what used to feel easy, you might start questioning yourself.
- If you’ve been working with a personal trainer in Naperville and seeing steady fat loss, but now the scale won’t budge, it’s easy to feel discouraged.
- If you’ve been staying consistent with strength training workouts and healthy eating, but life throws a curveball, you might feel like all your effort was for nothing.
But here’s the truth: growth isn’t linear. Whether your goal is building strength, fat loss, or improving your fitness, progress will come in waves. Setbacks aren’t a sign to stop—they’re a sign to keep going.
How to Break Free from the Curse of Progress
1️⃣ Stop Treating Plateaus as Failure
Not making progress every single day isn’t failure—it’s normal. The most successful people aren’t the ones who never struggle; they’re the ones who keep going despite the struggles. Whether you’re training at a personal training gym in Naperville or working out on your own, understand that consistency is the real key to results.
2️⃣ Zoom Out & Look at the Big Picture
If you only focus on the last week, you’ll miss the bigger trend. Where were you six months ago? One year ago? If you’ve made progress before, you can do it again. Your fitness journey isn’t about quick wins—it’s about long-term success.
3️⃣ Detach Progress from Self-Worth
You are more than your achievements. Your value isn’t based on how much weight you lose, how much you can deadlift, or how fast you run. Confidence isn’t something you earn when you hit a goal—it’s something you build by showing up for yourself every day.
4️⃣ Focus on Long-Term Consistency Over Short-Term Perfection
Progress happens over weeks, months, and years. One bad day or off week doesn’t erase everything. But letting a bad day turn into quitting? That’s when people fall off track. Whether your goal is to lose weight, get stronger, or feel better, it’s about sticking with it even when motivation fades.
Final Thoughts
If you’re feeling stuck, frustrated, or like you’re “not making progress,” ask yourself: Are you actually failing, or are you just expecting success to come without setbacks?
Whether you train at Beyond Measure Fitness Naperville or anywhere else, you’re not supposed to be at your best every single day. You’re supposed to keep going, even when things aren’t perfect. That’s what separates the people who achieve lasting results from those who stay stuck.
Keep moving forward. The next wave of progress is coming.