The subway platform is packed with people. There was a broken switch, a fire on the tracks, police activity somewhere. The trains were not running earlier, and the mass of people crowding the platform is the aftermath. You hear the announcement, “After an earlier incident, the A trains are now running. Expect residual delays.”

Although frustrating to hear, it makes sense. The trains weren’t running for two hours. While the actual cause of the problem is now fixed, the trains are not yet back on schedule. There is a backlog. The trains are moving again, but it’s going to take a little more time before they are running smoothly. While I am the last person to praise New York City Transit for their iconic wisdom, there is definitely an important lesson in this MTA message.

The concept of expecting residual delays comes to mind whenever I am in the process of making some great change in my life. You know the feeling. You are determined. Today is the day. You have made a conscious decision. To start exercising. To eat healthier. To save money. You begin your journey to greatness doing everything right. You are a model of discipline.

When I am in that mode, I feel unstoppable. But I also feel impatient. I want to see results. If I am trying to lose weight, I want to look different now. If I am trying to save money, I want to see a difference today. Invariably, it’s taking far too long to notice a change.

This isn’t surprising. We are part of a society whose collective patience is rapidly dwindling. We wait for no one. Having lived through the age of rotary phones, dictionaries, encyclopedias, and phone booths, I can tell you that daily life has changed a lot. No more staying home waiting for a phone call. No more having to go get the dictionary, or look things up in the encyclopedia. Gone are the days of having to remember random details: What’s the name of that actor? That restaurant? A few short years ago, I might have spent hours trying to remember something like that. Now, I just need my computer. Or my phone.

Information that once took us weeks to retrieve is instantly available to us all the time. In fact, we expect nothing less than immediate gratification. And don’t get me wrong—as a nerd, and a lover of learning everything, Google and I are besties.

But eventually we have to face the inevitable: Some things are just not instant. Like changing lifestyles and trying to develop good habits. We try to make them instant, like losing weight with a magic pill, or the latest herbs. Or trying a purported fast and easy way to earn money online. We are easy prey for anyone promising a quick outcome.

The truth is, when we are looking to make dramatic transitions, it takes time. When we are looking to become “unglued” from behaviors we’ve had for years—or even decades—we might find that we experience little roadblocks along the way. Debris from our former habits or attitudes can sometimes temporarily slow our progress. Kind of like the A train, even though we are back on track, we are experiencing some residual delays.

The good news? The trains eventually get back on schedule, and if we view our setback as temporary, we will, too. We are on the right path for success. And, if we stay the course, the laws of physics dictate that we are going to get there.

But we are not Google. Our results are not always going to happen immediately. Sometimes we simply have to do it old school—we have to be patient. This means accepting ourselves exactly where we are right now is crucial, and that can be the hardest part. We need to find that mindset where we are actually grateful for the place we are in our quest.

How do we do that when we are trying to accomplish something that can seem daunting? Or we feel like we’ve tried so many times before? I usually start with that inner dialogue going on in my head. What if we change “I can’t believe it took me this long to start this!” to “I am so glad I am finally doing this for myself!” I am always surprised by how tweaking what I tell myself even slightly affects my whole outlook. This kind of gratitude helps lead to self acceptance, and also allows us to be open to any adjustments we might need to make along the way. If we aren’t kind to ourselves, then we are fighting ourselves the entire journey. Like being on a long car ride with someone you are arguing with.

We need to remind ourselves, that although we aren’t there yet, we’re doing what we need to do to get there. Even if it has taken us a long time to embark on our venture. Even though sometimes, we might experience residual delays.

“If we are facing in the right direction, all we have to do is keep on walking.” –Proverb