Resisting Progress

The instinct to preserve isn’t the enemy, as if progress itself was a universal ill. No. Everyone wants progress. But there are good, legitimate reasons why people resist invitations to adopt a solution.

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When there’s general openness but the struggle isn’t being felt strongly enough, your solution isn’t going to hit at a moment of movement. “Interesting”, you’ll hear them say. They aren’t resisting per se, but this isn’t the place where they’re currently trying to make progress.

Your solution was heard, but the prospect hasn’t made mental space yet to tackle their problem.

When there’s a bit of a struggle, but the person has been committed to another path. An alternative, maybe something done in-house. Maybe you’re competing with “I’ll just do it myself.” There’s momentum, they’re hoping for something getting organized soon. But it’s not time. They aren’t resisting per se, but this isn’t fitting with their mental inventory of options to consider.

Your solution was heard, but the prospect hasn’t made a decision to disqualify their current options.

When there’s a strong struggle, but the person has a tall stack of beliefs that got them far out into a place of being stuck, immobile, brittle. “No! You don’t understand!” Their certainties are creating a defensive position from which they limit their options. They are resisting progress, because progress is an affront to their convictions. They are trying to make progress on something incompatible with momentum itself.

Your solution was heard, but the prospect is clinging to a decision to resist.

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In all of the situations above, the person wasn’t ready. One just wasn’t in movement. The other was mashing together a solution. The other was stuck within ideas. In none of the situation would it have been a good idea to be pushy.

Sometime, maybe soon, the struggle will become urgent (a large event), or persistent (one too-many times now), and no current option will satisfy the need. The person will make mental space for new options, they’ll start making plans, they’ll get moving. And then they might remember you. And they’ll remember how you were patient, kind and considerate. You knew it just wasn’t the right time, but now it is.