What to do when you’re working hard but it’s not happening “fast enough”

Dec 21

Written By Erica Hanlon

I get it. Your time is valuable.

So, I'm going to give it to you straight:

If it’s not happening fast enough, you’re slowing yourself down, but not in the way you think.

Let me explain…

The Real Reason You’re Stuck

You’re not slow because you’re lazy or unmotivated.

You’re slow because your brain is busy trying to feel safe instead of successful.

The human brain is wired for survival, not speed.

It doesn’t care about your business goals, your fitness tracker, or your timeline. It cares about minimizing risk.

So when you try something new (or go after something bigger) your brain freaks out a little.

It whispers:

“Wait… what if this doesn’t work?”
“What if you waste time?”
“What if people judge you?”

That’s when you start doing the three things that quietly kill momentum.

Momentum Killer 1:
You’re Wasting Energy Being “Confused”

Confusion is the most sophisticated form of procrastination.

It feels responsible. Like you’re “thinking it through” or “gathering more info.”

But really, you’re just avoiding the discomfort of commitment.

Your brain believes confusion keeps you safe.
Because as long as you’re thinking, you’re not failing.

But that safety is an illusion. Every day you spend “figuring it out” is a day you could have been learning through action.

Here’s the truth: you can’t think your way into clarity.
You act your way into it.

So pick one path. Take one messy step. Then decide again later if you need to pivot.

Action creates clarity. Not the other way around.

Momentum Killer 2:
You’re Rushing

Let’s talk about the overachiever move: speed.

When things feel slow, you do what you’ve always done… push harder.
You chase the dopamine hit of doing everything.

But rushing doesn’t come from confidence. It comes from fear.

You’re rushing because you’re scared that if you slow down, everything will fall apart. You’re scared that if you’re not perfect, you’ll fail.
You’re in a hurry to hit your goal because you don’t actually believe you can hit it.

So you hustle harder. But fast action built on fear is just panic in motion.

It burns energy.
It drains confidence.
And it leads to the same place every time: burnout and frustration.

Here’s the kicker: slow doesn’t mean stuck. It means deliberate.

The people who create big results don’t move faster. They move steadier.

They repeat what works, refine it, and stop wasting time reinventing the wheel every week.

That’s how you go fast - by doing less, better.

Momentum Killer 3:
You’re Waiting for the “Right” Time

Your brain loves the fantasy of “later.”

Later, you’ll have more time.
Later, you’ll feel more confident.
Later, things will settle down.

Spoiler alert: later never shows up.

You’re not waiting for time. You’re waiting for confidence and certainty.
You want to know the outcome before you take the risk.

But certainty is earned after you start, not before.

Six months from now, you’ll either be wishing you started or grateful you did. Either way, time will pass.

So you might as well use it.

How to Actually Speed Things Up

You don’t need more hours in the day.
You need better energy for the hours you already have.

Here’s what really accelerates results:

1. Commit Fully
No half-deciding. No “seeing how it goes.”
Commitment doesn’t mean you know every step. It means you’ve decided you’re in it for the long haul.

2. Drop the B.S.
Stop chasing goals just to prove your worth.
You’re not behind. You’re building evidence that you can trust yourself.

When your goals come from self-trust instead of self-criticism, everything gets easier.

3. Build a Strategy That Works for You
There’s no one-size-fits-all plan.
The goal isn’t to find the strategy. It’s to find your strategy.

Experiment. Collect data. Keep what works. Scrap what doesn’t.

4. Protect Your Focus
You can’t create big results while multitasking your way through chaos.

Set boundaries. Protect your focus like it’s money…because it is.

The Math of Getting What You Want

Let’s simplify this:

Commitment + (No B.S. × Strategy) = Results

The more you practice this formula, the faster things move.

Because every time you choose commitment over confusion, you retrain your brain to believe in you.

And that’s what creates momentum that sticks.

What Happens When You Stop Waiting

When you stop waiting for the “right time” and stop hustling to prove yourself, something wild happens.

You start trusting your own pace.
You stop needing validation.
And suddenly, progress starts to feel easy again.

You’re not behind.
You’re just learning what works. And that’s the fastest route to anywhere worth going.

Want Help Getting There Faster?

This is exactly what I help my clients do. Build confidence, drop the overthinking, and create results that actually last.

If you’re tired of spinning in confusion, waiting for permission, or rushing yourself into burnout, let’s talk.

In six months, we’ll train your brain to make faster, better decisions, create strategies that fit you, and finally get you moving forward with clarity.

Click here to schedule your consult.

You bring the commitment.
I’ll bring the brain science and strategy.
Together, we’ll make “fast enough” feel like an understatement.

Are you ready to do the impossible?

Hi! I’m Erica

Wife to Brendan. Mom to twins + one. Dog mom. Slow runner. Coffee drinker. GIF enthusiast.

I’m a licensed mental health therapist and life coach and career coach. I help you accomplish in 6 months that thing you’ve been thinking about doing for years.