Nobody posts photos of the foundation. That’s still the part holding up the building.

The visible part of anything is the last layer. Hours of unremarkable groundwork come first, and none of it is interesting to look at, which is why you rarely see anybody else’s and why your own stretch feels like nothing is happening. Invisible is not the same as unproductive.

When you are in a phase that produces nothing to show, keep a private record of what you actually did. Read it back when you feel behind. Judging progress by what is visible will always shortchange the early part.