I thought I was stuck… but it was an invisible shift.

It’s not a masterpiece yet, but it’s becoming one. One brushstroke at a time.

I thought I was stuck. Turns out, I was just evolving.

For a long time, I believed that the faster things moved, the better. That speed meant progress. That if I didn’t see concrete results, I was wasting my time. That slowing down or not producing anything “visible” meant I was falling behind.

Especially early in my career, I wanted more.

More results.

More recognition.

But above all: speed.

I was eager to get somewhere, without always knowing exactly where. And I had this lingering feeling that if I wasn’t moving at full speed, I was on the wrong track.

That reflex followed me all the way to the moment I applied for my first director role.

Up to that point, I’d held coordination roles, very action-oriented, focused on the field and immediate solutions.

Suddenly, I was expected to do something else: step back, think ahead, and plan long-term.

<<That was a real challenge.>>

I felt like I wasn’t doing “enough” if I didn’t deliver visible results quickly. I kept wondering: Am I wasting my time? Does it even look like I’m moving forward?

But I learned to shift my posture. To value vision, strategy, anticipation. To remind myself: This project is meant to unfold over a year or two. Every action, when intentional and well-executed will bear fruit.

You just have to trust the process, stay the course… and let time do its work.

Recently, I came across a metaphor that illustrates this perfectly.

In James Clear’s book Atomic Habits, he talks about the ice cube.

You’re in a room at -5°C. Nothing’s happening.

Then -4°C… -3°C… -2°C… still nothing.

And suddenly, at 0°C, the ice begins to melt.

It’s not that last degree that made the change. It’s the silent accumulation of every degree before.

Today, I measure progress differently.

I know that a quiet decision can shift an entire trajectory. That a thoughtful project, even if it takes time, can have a lasting impact. And that every step, even the invisible ones, matters.

So if you’re in a phase where nothing seems to be moving…Maybe everything is already shifting.

One micro-action at a time.

Quick Clarity Exercise (2 min max)

Take two minutes, just for you.

1. Think about one small action you consistently take in your work, even if it seems insignificant. (Ex: asking questions in meetings, rereading emails before sending, taking the time to listen to a colleague, organizing your ideas in writing…)

2. Let these questions sit with you:

   What does this say about how I’m showing up at work right now?

   And if I keep doing this… what kind of role, contribution or future am I quietly moving toward?

   
   

3. Close the loop with this phrase or better, create your own:

   “I’m building something… even if no one can see it yet.”