How do you go bankrupt?
Well, gradually, then suddenly.
Thats my most favourite quote. By Ernest Hemingway in The Sun Also Rises
To me, his words aren’t just about money. They hold true for everything—careers, health, relationships, and even ambition. Because decline doesn’t happen in one dramatic collapse. It happens quietly, unnoticed, until the damage is done.
The slow erosion of standards isn’t dramatic. It doesn’t announce itself with alarms. It’s just small compromises made in moments of exhaustion—one deadline missed, one corner cut, one excuse justified. At first, they feel harmless. But over time, what was once non-negotiable becomes optional, and then, eventually, forgotten.
The quiet dulling of ambition doesn’t happen overnight. It starts with settling—choosing comfort over challenge, convenience over growth. The fire that once pushed you forward dims, not because you chose to give up, but because you stopped choosing to push. The hunger fades, replaced by a vague sense of inertia.
The steady lowering of expectations is the final piece. What you once aspired to feels distant, even unrealistic. You adjust—not because you believe less is enough, but because expecting more feels pointless. The extraordinary becomes unattainable, the average becomes acceptable, and before you know it, mediocrity becomes the norm.
Then, one day, you look around and wonder: How did things get here?
Not in a single moment. Not with a single decision. But with a thousand tiny ones.
Decline Creep is real. It thrives on neglect. It doesn’t need effort—it just needs you to stop paying attention. Many a time decline creep happens while you were busy with other things!
Progress, on the other hand, is different.
It doesn’t happen by accident. It requires intent. Effort. Discipline.
It’s never overnight. It’s never one sweeping transformation. It’s the small things, held steady. The right habits, practised consistently.
It starts with paying attention—continuously reflecting on what’s working and what isn’t. It requires taking corrective action before small missteps turn into major setbacks. A bit of optimism keeps you moving forward, but real progress demands a lot of focus.
Good things don’t come in sudden bursts. They come from the little things, done right, again and again.
Progress is built by design. Decline is powered by defaults.
Good things take time. So does decline.
The difference? One is a choice. The other is what happens when you stop choosing.
Well captured Kavi.I guess the secret to prevent decline is to pause and take stock on selective actions or decisions by being mindful of their effect on you
Powerful! Sharing with the team!
I am reading a blog literally after ages and bang!!! It is so apt. I can feel the acceptance of not pushing myself and letting myself slide. Sigh!
Very reflective. Tells me something about myself. And going back to somethings I start and then become inconsistent. And that poses a question-what am I doing about it?
So beautifully put. And the reasons for decline or progress are well known – the choices we make. Underlying the choices is our attitude ‘Ah, I know, you need not tell me’ which causes decline, and the attitude ‘Well, let me listen to what he/she has to say’ which supports progress. Thanks for bringing this to the fore.
It’s a powerful thought—‘Progress is built by design. Decline is powered by defaults.’
Complacency can quietly shape our path, and its impact may only become clear in the long run. We may not always see it coming, but ultimately, it’s the choices we make that determine our direction.
Thanks for sharing!
I guess it’s also about what you define as progress. My thought is, yeah keep pushing. Hv been a professional at it. And at times when things take time, go with the flow, enjoy the moment, be in the moment and savour the details. Then rework the approach.
( Then, one day, you look around and wonder: How did things get here?
Not in a single moment. Not with a single decision. But with a thousand tiny ones. )
This explains many a mid-career crisis ! ‘ Why & how did things come to this pass ? ‘
This Decline Creep seems at first innocuous until it slowly expands to dangerojus proportions .
Thanks for the caution .
There were also mentions about a few things like ( self set ) standards and non-negotiables. Yes we should be aware of them . Thanks for the post .
Thanks too , for the mention of Hemmingway’s first novel.
I push myself everyday to be 1% better than yesterday. The effect compounds in the long term. Thanks for your wisdom, Kavi.
Well Said Kavi!
We need to constantly Reinvent ourselves and keep pushing the limits!
Growth Mindset and Action is the panacea!