Many people are just a few mindset shifts away from achieving remarkable success—or at the very least, an improved life. This isn't just personal development fluff or cheerleading. It's the truth. Mindset shapes how we pursue our goals, navigate challenges, interact with others, and approach our daily lives. While mindset isn't everything, it touches everything important.

Too many people quit right before they reach success. Here's why.

The Effort-Success Misconception

A common misconception about effort and success is that they're always correlated. This couldn't be further from the truth. Effort and success are rarely correlated in the short term.

You can't come home from the gym after one workout, step on the scale, and expect results. You certainly can't expect to fit into your favorite jeans. In fact, the results of that first workout are probably negative. You might feel sore the next day or miss out on relaxing on the couch with Netflix.

A salesperson must spend weeks or even months generating leads, then wait additional weeks for those leads to convert into sales. In some cases, there's a period of trial and error before results materialize.

Consider medicine development—it can take years between creating drugs, testing them, running trials, and gaining approval. Sometimes it takes decades. I've launched many campaigns, and they always take time to work. Sometimes I need to pivot or try an entirely new approach. At any point, it would be easy to abandon the goal, blame external factors, and adopt the narrative that success isn't meant for you.

Many people abandon their goals right before they become successful.

Focus on Process, Not Results

Before James Clear published Atomic Habits, I discovered him through an article. The essence was simple: don't focus on results; focus on the process. Clear gives a concrete example of a coach who wants to win a championship. If the coach focuses on the falling confetti, he's less likely to hit his goal. But if he focuses on every step of the process, he's more likely to achieve success.

This principle applies to any goal. Since results and effort aren't always correlated, it's important to focus on effort rather than outcomes—at least initially. It's crucial to dial in the right actions rather than fixate on the results you want to receive.

Practically speaking, if you want to lose weight, make your goal putting on your shoes, getting to the gym, and having a focused workout. If you want to write a book, prioritize writing one thousand words daily.

Throughout my career, I always struggled with posting consistently on social media. Social media requires time, and the process isn't always clear. I would post something for a couple of days, see no results, then abandon it in favor of what I wanted to do instead.

One day, I decided to stick to a schedule without caring about results—at least for a while. In my mind, I made the reward simply taking the right actions. If you have trouble putting on your shoes and getting to the gym, focus on that part. Get that part right. Focus on getting words onto a computer screen. Focus on eating well, one meal at a time. Focus on writing that business grant.

Shift Your Mindset

Change your mindset from "I have to have these results" to "I have to accomplish this small task every day."

When I have a large to-do list, I celebrate each time I check off an item. For that brief moment, the only thing that matters is crossing that task off my list. It actually brings me joy and satisfaction, giving me a different perspective.

Of course, the ultimate goal is hitting your benchmarks—whether that's earning a specific amount, losing weight, publishing a book, or fitting into that dress. In Atomic Habits, Clear states that your current situation is a lagging indicator of your habits. Your financial situation reflects habits from months or years ago. Your health results from decisions you made years or even decades ago. The opportunities you have stem from past decisions.

Remember: results and effort usually aren't correlated in the short term.

The Good News About Consistency

Here's the encouraging news: when you start focusing on actions and habits, you're slowly investing in your future. Although your initial efforts might not produce the results you want, and you feel like you're working hard without progress, consistency pays dividends.

If you keep chipping away at your goals, one day the effort required to achieve results becomes less and less. If a salesperson keeps working consistently, referrals will eventually come seemingly out of nowhere with little effort. If someone maintains decades of exercise and healthy eating, they won't deal with the health issues their friends and family face.

Don't be someone who quits their dream because they're not getting immediate results. Success takes time, energy, focus, and other resources.

The key is understanding that extraordinary results come from ordinary actions performed consistently over time. When you focus on the process rather than the outcome, you build the foundation for long-term success. Your current efforts are investments in your future self—even if you can't see the returns yet.

Stay committed to the process. Your breakthrough might be just one more day of consistent action away.