What the Transition Curve can Teach Us about PERSISTENCE

Have you ever learned about something theoretical about human nature and it just clicks with you, resonating as deeply *feeling* true. That's what I felt when I first learned about the Transition Curve, and it gave me a new perspective on the concept of persistence.

So the main idea behind the Transition Curve, is that humans follow a generally similar emotional path when taking on large new projects or endeavors. We tend to get overly excited in initial stages and underestimate the amount of work or sacrifice that a big new change will bring. The key though is to stick with it when the thing becomes less shiny and  new and more challenging. Here is a summary of the stages. For some reason, learning about this was really hitting home for me...

Stage 1: Uninformed Optimism

This is the beginning stages of a new idea or project. You're excited and hopeful about the great things that this new thing will bring into your life. Sure, you might be nervous, but you are filled with energy and passion. You don't know what exactly will come in the future, but you feel like no matter what it is, you can handle it. You feel like you could even be *really great* at this thing. The excitement is built on the unknown and what you imagine could come from it. 

Stage 2: Informed Pessimism
At some point, the novelty of the new thing will wear away and you will start to learn about what it actually takes to succeed at this thing. You learn what successful people at this thing realistically have to go through to be good at it, and it may have been more difficult that you initially though. You may start to feel disappointment, frustration, and confusion.

Stage 3: Crisis of Meaning

Then you hit a stage called ‘Crisis of Meaning.‘ This is when you’re really doubtful and scared. You don't feel like you can't do it, and you don't feel like it's even worth doing in the first place. 

Stage 4: Crash & Burn (optional)

If you don’t pull through the bottom of the curve and round the corner, then you will Crash & Burn. You give up, you feel defeated. Sometimes, it takes a lot of effort and tenacity to avoid Crash & Burn. 

Stage 5: Hopeful Realism/Informed Optimism

If you can make it through the crisis of meaning, the next stage of Informed Optimism is when you have both the knowledge of what you need to success and the feeling that you CAN.  Your mindset is calmer and more informed. You are cautiously optimistic.

The thing I like about this theory is that it can apply to so many different types of personal growth journeys and it can provide perspective about where you might be on a journey if you are feeling a certain way. If something sounds too good to be true, too easy, too effortless, it probably is. Things that are worthwhile are usually not going to be easy. There is value in doing difficult things, but the journey through it can be filled with ups and downs, as this curve clearly shows. This is not a pessimistic chart, it is realistic, but it shows that if you can make it through the doubt and despair, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Growth comes from endurance, showing up, time and time again, even when that initial high fades away.