Title: Breaking Through Your First Plateau: What It Teaches You
By: Tom Reynolds
I’ve learned something over the years — whether I was leading a global transformation, reinventing a broken process, or trying to rebuild my health:
We all hit the stall zone. You wonder can i do it?
It’s that moment when the energy drops, the results slow down, and you wonder if the effort is even worth it.
You know the feeling:
- The new habit was working… until it wasn’t.
- You started strong… and now you’re stuck.
- The scale, the inbox, the feedback — it’s all flatlined.
This is what I’ve come to understand:
A plateau doesn’t mean you’re failing. It means you’re growing.
But growth doesn’t always feel exciting. Sometimes, it feels quiet. Lonely. Frustrating.
And if you don’t know how to read that moment, you’ll walk away, just before the breakthrough. BUT THAT’S WHEN YOU NEED TO PUSH THROUGH LIKE YOU NEVER PUSHED BEFORE AND YOU WILL BREAK THROUGH!
My Own Plateau: And Why I Didn’t Quit This Time
When I committed to walking every day, the first few weeks felt great.
I felt stronger. Lighter. Like I was building something again.
But then week four came. The progress slowed. I didn’t feel much different. And I remember thinking, “Maybe this isn’t working anymore.” We all want immediate results! But steady and consistent pays off.
In the past, I might’ve stopped right there.
But something in me said: No. Keep walking. (and it eventually led to my participation in triathlons, what a jump.)
Because I’ve seen this story before. I’ve lived it — in boardrooms, in strategy sessions, in my own personal health battles.
And I know this:
That moment where nothing’s changing?
That’s the exact moment where you are.
So I kept going.
Same walk. Same commitment. (and ultimately running, biking, swimming)
And sure enough, the shift came — not because the walk changed, but because I did.
Cool Exercise: Name Your Plateau — Then Recommit
Think of an area in your life right now where you feel like you’re pushing, but nothing’s moving.
- Is it your health?
- Your career?
- A relationship?
- Your energy?
Now ask yourself:
- Am I really stuck? Or just tired of the slow part?
- Am I measuring progress the right way?
- What’s one way I can adjust, without quitting?
Maybe it’s switching your routine.
Maybe it’s journaling what’s working.
Maybe it’s just reminding yourself that flatlines are part of every climb.
Find what motivates you. For me at the time, as I set my goal to participate in my first Triathlon, and I felt maybe it was to much I would tune in to my favorite Rocky Movie. As Sylvester Stallones advice, “just keep punching”.
Just don’t stop. YOU CAN DO IT!
What I’ve Seen: Most People Quit Too Soon
In my years of mentoring leaders and building strategies, I’ve watched so many people quit right before the good stuff kicked in.
Not because they weren’t capable — but because they didn’t expect the stall.
They thought a pause in progress meant something was wrong.
It doesn’t.
It means something real is happening beneath the surface.
When you break through a plateau — not by force, but by faith — you build the kind of confidence that lasts.
Quote to Reflect On
“The moment you’re ready to quit is usually the moment right before the miracle happens.” — Unknown
Final Thought
You’re going to hit this moment.
We all do.
But if you can breathe through it… keep your rhythm… and trust the process, you’ll come out stronger on the other side — not just in results, but in resolve.
You’re not stuck. You’re settling in.
Stay the course. That’s where your cool is built.
And speaking of consistency, one of the greatest examples we’ve ever had just stepped off the world stage. Warren Buffett recently announced his retirement, and it’s worth pausing on what he taught all of us:
- Play the long game
- Stay consistent even when others get distracted
- Don’t let noise or comparison knock you off your strategy
Buffett didn’t succeed because he was flashy.
He succeeded because he trusted his fundamentals — and stayed with them longer than anyone else.
That’s what makes a legend.
And that’s what will make you unshakable, too.
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