5 Reasons You’re Closer to Your Goals Than You Realize

Let’s talk about the meltdown I had in the cereal aisle.

Picture this: I’m in Target, debating between Honey Bunches of Oats and Cinnamon Toast Crunch like my life depends on it. I have a cart full of almond milk and doubt. I’ve just scrolled through three engagement posts, two six-figure business updates, and one girl who casually launched her own skincare line—and she’s 24. Naturally, my brain short-circuited and decided cereal would be the hill I emotionally died on that day.

Cue the internal spiral: “What am I doing with my life?” “Why am I not further along?” “Why does my Google calendar look like a battlefield between burnout and wishful thinking?”

I get it. That moment—the one where your dreams feel like an unpaid internship with no clear promotion in sight. You’re trying so hard. But the big, shiny results? Still pending.

I’ve cried over a broken zipper because I thought it symbolized my entire career. I’ve refreshed my email hoping a brand deal magically appeared. I’ve stared into the void (aka my Notes app) wondering if that blog post draft from 2022 still counts as “working on something.”

We tell ourselves that success is loud and undeniable—shiny trophies, big announcements, viral content. But the truth? Growth is quieter. It shows up in subtler places. And it often doesn’t look like progress… until you zoom out.

So if you’ve been questioning whether you’re actually getting anywhere—or if you’re just making really elaborate Pinterest boards while your dreams ghost you—this is for you.

I’m not here to give you a TED Talk or a 10-step plan involving cold showers and vision boards (although I love a good vision board moment). I’m here to show you, friend-to-friend, why you’re so much closer to your goals than you realize.

This isn’t toxic positivity. It’s real talk with a warm blanket of perspective.

Let’s get into the five truths you probably didn’t know were proof that you’re on the right track—yes, even if your hair’s in a claw clip and your savings account is giving ✨haunting whispers✨.

1. You’re Making Micro-Decisions That Align With Your Future

The other day, I chose to go for a walk instead of doom-scroll. That’s it. No grand rebranding, no million-dollar strategy, no enlightenment from a mountaintop monk. Just 15 quiet minutes in sneakers I forgot I owned.

And you know what? That one tiny decision moved me closer to my goals.

We love to glorify the big moments—quitting your job, launching your brand, saying no to what doesn’t serve you (which is valid, but also sounds suspiciously like an Instagram quote). But what about the unglamorous choices?

Like saying no to something that drains you.
Or texting your therapist back.
Or opening your laptop again after a rough week.

Those things count.

Progress isn’t always loud. Sometimes it whispers.
You’re building habits. You’re rewiring your brain. You’re inching forward, even if you don’t feel it.

So if you’ve been brushing off the “small wins,” stop. Those choices are shaping your life. You don’t need to overhaul everything to be on your way. You just need to not give up in the ordinary moments.

2. You’ve Learned What Doesn’t Work (and That’s Half the Battle)

You know what nobody talks about enough? The absolute education that is failing publicly and awkwardly.

Like that time I tried to launch a newsletter and forgot to proofread the first subject line:
“Your Dreams Are Worth Fithing For.” Yep. FITHING. New word unlocked.

But here’s the thing: every time something doesn’t go how we planned, we gather data. Clarity. Courage (even if we didn’t ask for it). And that is movement.

So if you’re thinking, “Why haven’t I made it yet?”
Pause and ask: “What have I learned lately that I couldn’t have known before?”

You’ve refined your boundaries.
You’ve adjusted your timeline.
You’ve realized that what you thought you wanted might have been rooted in comparison.

That’s not failure. That’s refinement.

You are not back at square one—you’re on a smarter, grittier square five.

3. You’re Still Showing Up (Even If It’s Ugly)

Here’s a brutal truth I’ve had to accept: some days, “showing up” looks like putting on pants. That’s it. No heroic effort. Just jeans and surviving.

And honestly? That’s still effort.

There’s this weird myth that successful people always feel like it. Like they’re bursting with motivation and creativity and clean kitchens. But I promise you, most of us are winging it with cold coffee and a side of existential dread.

You don’t have to crush it every day. You just have to continue.

Even if you post the thing and get two likes.
Even if you rewatch the same YouTube tutorial for the fourth time.
Even if your “office” is your bed and a stack of dreams.

Every attempt builds resilience. Every try counts.
And every time you choose to try again instead of quitting—that moves you closer to your goals.

Perseverance is underrated because it’s quiet. But it’s where the magic happens.

4. You’re Thinking Differently (and That Changes Everything)

You used to panic when something went wrong. Now you pause.
You used to need permission. Now you Google it and try anyway.
You used to want things fast. Now you’re okay with the long game.

That mindset shift? That’s massive.

Changing how you think about your goals—your value, your timing, your effort—is often more important than hitting milestones. Because once your brain learns how to navigate doubt and keep going, it becomes less about if you’ll reach your goal, and more about when.

Being closer to your goals isn’t just about results—it’s about readiness.

So if you’re having better self-talk, even 10% of the time? You’re evolving.
If you’re catching yourself in comparison spirals and gently closing the app? You’re growing.

Your thoughts are planting new roots. Don’t overlook that just because it doesn’t come with a confetti cannon.

5. You’ve Stopped Waiting for the Perfect Time

Confession: I once delayed launching a project for 6 months because I didn’t have the “right font.”

Like, ma’am… the font? What was I waiting for—Helvetica to bless my dreams?

Here’s what I’ve learned the hard way: perfect timing is the world’s most elegant form of procrastination. And when you stop waiting and start moving—imperfectly, clumsily, bravely—you unlock momentum.

Done is always better than “someday.”
Messy progress is still progress.
Half-baked action beats overcooked hesitation.

If you’ve started anything lately—even a rough draft, a voice memo, a chaotic brainstorm—you’re in motion.

You’re no longer standing still. You’ve entered the process.
And that process is how goals come to life.

Why This Really Matters

I think we forget that being human is… hard. Not because we’re doing it wrong, but because we’re doing it honestly.

Chasing goals—especially the big, soul-stretching ones—means choosing discomfort. Daily. It means healing while building. Creating while doubting. Hoping while hurting. And the world rarely applauds that kind of work in real time.

But here’s the quiet miracle: you’re still going.

Even when you think you’ve stalled, you’re actually deep in the trenches of becoming.
Even when your path looks wonky, you’re developing tools you’ll need for what’s next.
Even when you feel lost, you’re closer to your goals than you realize—because you’re still in it.

And that kind of emotional stamina? That’s a flex no one can see—but it’s the one that’ll carry you the farthest.

Conclusion: You’re Not Behind. You’re Becoming.

So here we are—me, you, and our slightly overcaffeinated dreams—reminding ourselves that we’re not actually failing.

You’re not lazy. You’re not late. You’re just living through the awkward middle chapters most people skip over in their highlight reels.

If you needed a sign today that you’re not off-track? This is it.

The fact that you care enough to worry about where you are? Proof.
The fact that you’re still trying? More proof.
The fact that you read this far? Girl. You know you’re closer to your goals than you realize.

Maybe the win isn’t just arriving—it’s not giving up.
Maybe you don’t need a louder cheer section, just a softer voice in your own head.
Maybe you’re already doing the thing, and just forgot how brave that is.

Keep going. The version of you you’re working toward? They’re proud already.
And so am I.