Yup, and the sad bit is that it takes years of lifting and researching to realize this fact. Your typical beginner doesn't have a clue and just gets discouraged

Yup, and the sad bit is that it takes years of lifting and researching to realize this fact. Your typical beginner doesn't have a clue and just gets discouraged. I have been lifting hard and consistently for about twelve years. I'm pretty strong and I have plenty of muscle, but to most people I just look "fit". That's fine and all, but these people grossly underestimate what it takes to get "big". I once had an Uber driver party with us after a night out. The guy was thin, but told me he had begun lifting and wanted to get big I asked him what his goals were and he told me "a bit bigger than you". Later that night he was in my garage and saw that I regularly train with a 250lb sandbag (not huge I know, but I'm 185lbs and I throw it on my shoulder for reps.) He was shocked because he thought I was just a casual. He understood at that point that his expectations needed to be tempered.