Most people falsely think of progress as linear, a steady journey up a 45-degree incline over time and effort, but that's usually not the case.
Most people falsely think of progress as linear, a steady journey up a 45-degree incline over time and effort, but that's usually not the case.
Stewart Scott-Curran/CNN
Improvement is steady. This path is not as common as people think.<br /><br />Relevant to: <br />* lifelong habits (such as meditation)<br />* skill-based hobbies (such as gardening)<br />* writing<br />* wisdom<br />* chess<br />
LINEAR —
Improvement is steady. This path is not as common as people think.

Relevant to:
* lifelong habits (such as meditation)
* skill-based hobbies (such as gardening)
* writing
* wisdom
* chess
Alberto Mier/CNN
Work more now for later pay-off. This requires resilience, endurance and patience.<br /><br />Relevant to:<br />* starting a business<br />* most careers, especially academia and craftsmanship<br />* wealth accumulation<br />* baseball<br />* karate (see "The Karate Kid")<br />* raising a building<br />* the audience for this column<br />
CLASSIC EXPONENTIAL —
Work more now for later pay-off. This requires resilience, endurance and patience.

Relevant to:
* starting a business
* most careers, especially academia and craftsmanship
* wealth accumulation
* baseball
* karate (see "The Karate Kid")
* raising a building
* the audience for this column
Alberto Mier/CNN
As you get better, the harder it becomes to continue improving even with dedication.<br /><br />Relevant to: <br />* weight loss<br />* learning a new mental skill (such as language)<br />* work-specific task<br />* soccer<br />* running<br />* Tiger Woods' golf career<br /><br />
CLASSIC LOGARITHMIC —
As you get better, the harder it becomes to continue improving even with dedication.

Relevant to:
* weight loss
* learning a new mental skill (such as language)
* work-specific task
* soccer
* running
* Tiger Woods' golf career
Alberto Mier/CNN
Quick growth followed by steady decline.<br /><br />Relevant to: <br />* becoming president, with term-limits<br />* professional sports career<br />* memory as we age<br />* fame<br />* empires<br />
THE PEAK —
Quick growth followed by steady decline.

Relevant to:
* becoming president, with term-limits
* professional sports career
* memory as we age
* fame
* empires
Alberto Mier/CNN
Start from success, only to relearn basics and overcome setbacks until growth resumes.<br /><br />Relevant to:<br />* starting a new job or career<br />* moving to a new country<br />* developing morals<br />* grief<br />
THE VALLEY —
Start from success, only to relearn basics and overcome setbacks until growth resumes.

Relevant to:
* starting a new job or career
* moving to a new country
* developing morals
* grief
Alberto Mier/CNN
Growth and stagnation alternate, requiring patience and preparedness for change.<br /><br />Relevant to:<br />* civil service career<br />* financial stability over phases of life<br />* careers with structured patterns (such as medical school to chief resident, law school to firm partner<br />* the evolution of the idea behind this column (Young > Brooks > Allan > whomever is next)<br />
THE STEP LADDER —
Growth and stagnation alternate, requiring patience and preparedness for change.

Relevant to:
* civil service career
* financial stability over phases of life
* careers with structured patterns (such as medical school to chief resident, law school to firm partner
* the evolution of the idea behind this column (Young > Brooks > Allan > whomever is next)
Alberto Mier/CNN
Going over material again and again but building on each successive wave.<br /><br />Relevant to: <br />* book editor<br />* screenwriter<br />* director<br />* actor/performer<br />* web developer<br />* consulting and other contract work<br />
SURFING —
Going over material again and again but building on each successive wave.

Relevant to:
* book editor
* screenwriter
* director
* actor/performer
* web developer
* consulting and other contract work
Alberto Mier/CNN
Steep learning incline for long term acquisition.<br /><br />Relevant to: <br />* learning to walk, read, ride a bike<br />* getting tenure as a professor<br />* buying a house<br />* becoming pope <br />
THE PLATEAU —
Steep learning incline for long term acquisition.

Relevant to:
* learning to walk, read, ride a bike
* getting tenure as a professor
* buying a house
* becoming pope
Alberto Mier/CNN
It's only downhill from here.<br /><br />Relevant to:<br />* Pets.com, Kozmo, eToys.com and other dot-com era busts<br />* innocence<br />* sense of immortality<br />* movie releases<br />* child acting careers<br />
THE FALL —
It's only downhill from here.

Relevant to:
* Pets.com, Kozmo, eToys.com and other dot-com era busts
* innocence
* sense of immortality
* movie releases
* child acting careers
Alberto Mier/CNN
I'm on top of the world! What could go wrong?<br /><br />Relevant to: <br />* hard-core drug use<br />* gambling<br />* cheating and lying<br />* robbing banks<br />* base jumping<br />* securities fraud (see "The Wolf of Wall Street")<br />
THE ICARUS —
I'm on top of the world! What could go wrong?

Relevant to:
* hard-core drug use
* gambling
* cheating and lying
* robbing banks
* base jumping
* securities fraud (see "The Wolf of Wall Street")
Alberto Mier/CNN