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Is There a Pill I Can Take To Get Better?
Our expectations for progress, not success, help us avoid frustration
I recently started taking a vitamin. I was told that I would not notice any changes in my health until three months later.
So I took the pill every day, without really thinking about it.
I actually noticed some effects after about 90 days.
The pill was working, just like I was told.
But imagine if I was not told about the three-month period before I would notice the results.
I would have looked every single day for some change in my health.
I would have despaired if I did not notice a change. I probably would have wondered if the pill even worked after the second day. I would have looked in the mirror every five minutes to see if I noticed any changes, and I would have checked to see if I felt any different. I probably would have stopped taking the pill after a week or two. Or at least I would have neglected to be consistent about taking the pill.
How to Tell If Something Is Wrong
One of my own barriers to being consistent — in anything — is that I often have this thought:
I keep doing the same thing…
