Plateau: (noun) a state of little or no change following a period of activity or progress
Plateau is a word often thrown around in the health and fitness industry. The word is used to define a period of time when a person is not building muscle or losing fat. Just as in the health and fitness world, there are plateaus we go through in all areas of life. I'm going through one right now in fact.
In the last two months I've done a lot according to my standards. I've written a blog post every single day. I've written an ebook and published it to Amazon (and it makes MONEY). I've gained three paying clients and have three more that I coach pro-bono. I've lost 5% body fat. I've done a fucking shit ton.
Yet, in the last week or so I've done nothing great. I've slept in almost every day. I've had ramen soup a couple times. I smoked weed before earning $100 overnight (which was my initial goal). I watched porn almost every day. I've been blowing off assignments. I've been late to family functions. I don't do my morning and evening routines consistently. Compared to the last two months, the last week has been "not like me."
(Side note: Do yourself a favor and compare yourself only to your previous self. Anything else will make you feel small and downplay the work, effort, and growth you EARNED going from where you were to where you are now.)
After going all-in for two months, followed by a week of "all-out", I've had trouble making sense of what's going on. Without an explanation I started to make myself wrong. I have high expectations for myself. I assume many people reading this do too. As such, not only have I been unproductive the last week, but I've judged the shit out of myself - which makes it worse.
What I do know is this: the way I'm behaving now is very similar to the way I was behaving prior to going gung-ho for the past two months. Meaning, my happiness and certainty came from eating processed foods, watching TV, sleeping in, touching myself, and other types of stimulus based pleasure.
This is for me: STIMULUS BASED PLEASURE IS NOT WRONG. THERE'S LITERALLY NOTHING INHERENTLY WRONG WITH IT. The basis for my judgement lies in the knowing that stimulus based pleasure will not get me to where I want to be, and I know it.
Anyways, back to the point.
I think I figured it out. After 2 months of serious work, growth, and discipline, I've hit a plateau. Instead of making myself WRONG, I'll normalize it instead. "It's okay to plateau, Gabe. It's normal and expected!"
Question is: "What is the best way to go through a plateau period that maintains the current level of growth; and how can I get to the next level?"
The first thing that comes to mind is to address the mindset required to effectively deal with plateaus.
Second is to consider the actions steps to maintain growth. This is more cut and dry.
Last is to address what the next level is. Once the next level is determined, a mindset and action plan will be put into place.
Addressing The Mindset To Deal With Plateaus
First, recognizing that what you're going through is a plateau is a big win in itself. Now that you know you've hit a plateau you can expect to lost momentum, motivation, and lack of vision to move forward. That's just what plateaus are!
Because you can EXPECT little to no change during this time, success must be redefined. Instead of success being defined as moving forward and reaching the next target, the definition of success must revolve around maintaining current progress.
This is your key word during a plateau: MAINTAIN.
We must continue to do with routines, habits, and rituals that got us to this point. We cannot abandon them just because we are not moving forward at a high rate anymore.
The reality is that if we STOP, then we will go backwards. We must not stop.
It's okay to take a short break, of course. But we must LIMIT that time frame.
WARNING: THIS IS WHERE MOST OF US GIVE UP AND GO BACKWARD.
I can assure you that some past habits will come out of the closet. That's been the case for me at least.
In the past, without realizing I've hit a plateau, I'd freak the fuck out and start abandoning all my good habits and re-installing the shitty ones.
DO NOT DO THIS.
Here's the mindset: Plateaus are normal. Just continue doing the actions that led you to this place. The answers to the next level will come. BUT, this level of living is your new standard.
DO NOT REGRESS. I REPEAT. DO NOT REGRESS. THIS IS YOUR NEW NORMAL.
Action Steps To Maintain Growth
This part should be easy. Simply take note, if you don't have it down already, of the action steps that got you to this level.
Maybe you wake up at a certain time each morning. Maybe you work out three times a week. Maybe you do this or that.
Similar to the action steps, recall the paradigms that helped you get here as well.
It may not be mind-blowing like it was when you first started. BUT, guess what, what was mind-blowing before is now your new fucking normal.
THAT'S RIGHT. Your new normal was yesterday's unfuckingbelievable.
Let that sink in.
What's the Next Level?
You remember that sense of fear and uncertainty you had to breakthrough in order to get where you are now? Guess what, there's a whole new layer of fucking fear and uncertainty to breakthrough yet again!
Ah, but remember, this is the path your asked for. You want to achieve big things. You want the adversity. You want the challenges. HAH! It's your fault, as usual.
So, while you're maintaining this new level of life, take the time to formulate what the next level looks like. Don't worry, whether you take actual time to think about it doesn't matter. Your soul already knows what it is. It's only a matter of time before this current level reveals itself not enough for your soul anymore.
Just like your past level of life became unbearable, your current level of life will become so as well.
JUST REMEMBER, DO NOT GO BACKWARDS.
THIS IS YOUR NEW NORMAL.
All the best,
GS
