The Illusion of Progress

Hi friend,

Have you ever had one of those weeks where you feel like you’re always doing something, but nothing meaningful gets done?

You’re moving non-stop.
Emails, messages, meetings, tasks.
You’re in motion from morning to night.

But when you pause to look back, there’s this uncomfortable question hovering in the air:
Did any of that really matter?

That feeling isn’t a fluke. It has a name.

Psychologists call it the mere urgency effect — a bias where we choose tasks that feel urgent over the ones that are actually important.

We chase the rush of checking boxes, clearing notifications, getting back to people quickly.
Not because those things change anything, but because they’re easy wins.
Quick hits of dopamine in exchange for real progress.

We confuse movement for momentum.

I once met an entrepreneur who was busy every day.
He ran a decent business, had a team, clients, structure.
But growth had plateaued for two years.

He was responsive. Engaged. Always “on.”
And completely stuck.

It wasn’t that he lacked drive.
It’s that he spent all his energy reacting to inboxes, requests, and small fires while ignoring the more profound, slower work that actually builds a business.

Eventually, he blocked off one hour each morning to focus on a single high-leverage task.

No phone. No meetings. No checking anything.
Just space to build.

Within six months, revenue grew 32%.
Not from hustle. From clarity.

The difference was simple.
He stopped doing what was loud and started doing what was necessary.

That hour of focus changed everything because it wasn’t driven by urgency.
It was driven by direction.

That kind of shift can happen in any area of life, business, health, or even relationships.
But it requires one hard question most people avoid:

Am I doing this just to feel productive, or is it actually productive?

According to Harvard research, most knowledge workers spend over 60 percent of their time on “work about work” — admin, messages, meetings, status updates.

Only about 27% is spent on real skilled, focused work.
The kind that leads to breakthroughs, growth, and freedom.

The people who make the most progress aren’t doing more.
They’re just spending more time on the right things.

So maybe this week isn’t about pushing harder.
Maybe it’s about getting honest.

Less chasing. More choosing.

Pick one thing that matters.
Put it in your calendar.
Treat it like it’s non-negotiable.

Because the work that moves your life forward won’t scream for your attention.
But it’s waiting for it.

Until next time,

Lorenc - Founder of Success Skill