A Little Less than Linear: Why Growth Isn’t a Straight Line
Most of the time people view growth in a very linear fashion. Practice a skill every day and you will steadily get better at it, right? This can be a good, surface level way to approach learning something new, however it is important to also understand progress does not always present itself in such a way. Realizing this can drastically improve your mindset and in turn, your rate of learning.
The Hike
Think of progress as more of a hike. More than likely, the path is a series of ups and downs following the terrain around, and rarely follows a straight line. This is not always a bad thing as it helps build strength for longer, more difficult hikes and allows for different types of scenery that wouldn’t be accessible otherwise.
Knowing this, breaking it down further becomes even simpler. The beginning of the hike is usually simple, flat, and unassuming. Energy hasn’t been depleted, and neither has resolve. Resources are readily available, and progress feels steady.
Soon, the first hill is only a few yards away. The first part of the hill feels tough, but doable. More difficult than the entrance to the hike, but still not too bad. This is where learning begins. Lessons are learned and it becomes common knowledge that the steeper the hill, the more difficult it is to climb, and items such as water get used up quickly, and become more scarce. Fatigue can begin to set in at this stage and it is likely that progress has slowed significantly.
After reaching the top of the hill, the reward is a vast and beautiful scenic view. The hard work paid off and the experience gave skills and knowledge that weren’t there before. After taking in the view, it is time to go down the hill. Gaining speed and confidence, progress usually speeds up as going downhill is easier than going up and the cycle repeats.
The Benefit of Non-Linear Growth
In reality, growth is influenced by market shifts, client demand, industry trends, and internal capacity. They create hills and valleys in the market creating waves. Businesses can learn how to read the market and predict what kinds of trends there will be as well as how to handle the market adjustment.
No two situations are alike, and that can add layers of complexity. But that’s also where the real advantage lies. Non-linear growth encourages strategy and consistency, turning guesswork into intentional progress.
Often, growth exposes weak points in systems and communication so it is important to slow down and strengthen those weak points before moving ahead. This is difficult for linear growth as there is no moment to slow down. The push for growth overrides the stability of the business, similarly to how a weed grows.
Why is that an issue? Weeds reproduce quickly and easily take over a large area and can grow to decent sizes. They do, however, have extremely shallow roots regardless of the size of the plant. They are easy to pluck from the ground and do not require much effort to get rid of most of the time. This is why weeds reproduce so quickly. Most of the time, the seeds will not live a long life or even make it to maturity. The plant is not able to learn how to survive and instead must guess and hope for luck.
Think of instead, a tree. When a tree needs to be removed from a spot, how much effort does it take to remove that? How many people are required to remove the root system from the ground? A tree is slow growing and grows in a non-linear fashion. It starts small and creates deep roots to help it grow in the future. Most trees save their energy when there isn’t much sun or warmth and come back the next year even stronger.
Reframing Success
So, what does all of this mean? It means to be patient and consistent. Goals don't look the same for everyone, and neither does progress. Give grace for rough patches and be patient while learning. Success is cumulative, not instantaneous. Growth over time is from compounding progress and results.
Non-linear growth does not mean failure, it means there is an opportunity for learning. Sometimes that takes days, sometimes months. Trust the process, stay consistent, and embrace the learning curve. Those experiences will be what drives exponential growth.
