Some days, we need to start over. And start over. And start over. We write, we doodle, we draw diagrams, images, we go for walks, and have discussions. And in the end, we feel no further along than when we got up.

Sometimes this goes on for more than one day, more than a week, more than a month. We can try different approaches to unblock it, see different people, and still end up feeling like no progress is made.

And then one day we realise we are no longer stuck. Sometimes this is a pure eureka moment. But most often it is not, most often we realise that tiny bits have been clicking into place for a little while and we just didn’t notice. And all the wrestling, the failures, the frustrations, was actually unrecognisable or unacknowledged progress.

So keep at it, keep wrestling, and do the work. The only way is through.

Photo by Levi Bare