In the first chapter of his book Atomic Habits, James Clear makes a profound point. James presents a useful framework for my pursuit of world-class Business Analysis proficiency. Interestingly, the potency of the framework is not limited to career goals but is applicable to all forms of learning adventure. The author, in the first chapter, on the twenty-first page, introduced The Plateau of Latent Potential and went on to illustrate the framework on the next page.
Source: developmentprofessionals.org
The Plateau of Latent Potential corrects the common belief that progress is linear. According to James Clear, “the results of our efforts are often delayed. It is not until months or years later that we realize the true value of the previous work we have done.” This uncommon truth steers a learner from what he called “the valley of disappointment.” This gulf is created when expectation differs from reality in a learning endeavour. For me, my Excel practice appears to have yielded little progress because of my false expectation of a perfect upward slope of learning.
Source: Hernandez et al., 2012
Effective learning goes beyond the right expectation; the right execution is also needed. Your approach to learning is as important as the drive that started it. The habit-based approach is superior to the more commonly practiced bursts of motivation. The former relies on the power of compounding interest; the latter depends on momentary actions. The challenge of momentary action is that it is only good for the “moment.” “If you summon the energy to tidy up a messy room, then you will have a clean room – for now.”
Source: Jamesclear.com
Habitual practice is the path to sustained growth, even though the approach requires time to manifest. Like James put it, “complaining about not achieving success despite working hard is like complaining about an ice cube not melting when you heated it from twenty-five to thirty-one degrees. Your work was not wasted; it is just being stored. All the action happens at thirty-two degrees.” Keep going.