To lose weight, a person must eat healthier and exercise over the course of months and years. To get strong, a person must strength train over the course of months and years. To grow wealthy, a person must spend less than they make over the course of months and years. To learn to speak Italian or play the piano, a person must practice religiously over the course of months and years.

As my friend Allan Branch said about his weight loss, “It’s simple, not easy.” Effort over time. This is why we scoff at diet pills and shake-weights or any other gimmick that promises to deliver results quickly. Because inherently we know that real results can never come quickly, progress takes time.

So if someone is promising your community a silver bullet solution, some kind of quick fix, be skeptical as you would be if they were promising you a winning lottery ticket. There is no easy path to revitalization. There is no trick or expert insight into community improvement.

The road ahead is full of hard work, but take comfort in knowing that the path is straightforward. This process will not be complicated, only rigorous. Make small improvements every single day, and those add up to monumental changes over the years. Nothing will come quickly, but the results will come no matter what if you just stick to the plan.