The Plateau of Unhappiness

Every once in a while, something I’m working on doesn’t pan out as expected. Whether it’s a rejection to a project, a dud of a design or just a particularly slow week, I’ll have an unusually negative reaction that echoes through me. I begin feeling stagnant, as though I’m not working hard enough or the work I am doing is simply not good enough, regardless of actual effort.

I call this the Plateau of Unhappiness. You fear that you’re no closer to your goals than when you began; no progress has been made. And now, you’ve hit this point where your efforts—no matter how much you may put in—seem to no longer have you on an upward trajectory. You’re stuck.

But, the fact is, the Plateau is an illusion. A trick your mind plays out of fear and the result of a negative experience. Humans unwittingly give more weight to negative experiences (like a rejection) and, in the moment, they can color our view of prior experiences and successes.

Don’t let it fool you: a slow week, a rejection, a lack of reply won’t set you back. As long as you’re always making progress towards your goal, the trajectory is still upwards. You’re not stuck, your efforts have not landed you in a rut. Push forth.

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Joshua Gross is a freelance web designer and developer based out of NYC.