Well your improvement and growth is relative to what you've done and how far you've come. Any shmoe out there isn't going to have any idea how much you've already changed and their frame of reference is only from their perspective of where you are at.

With relation to the doctor, well aside from being blunt, I don't think it was intended to defeat or hurt you. I'm not excusing the bluntness of his opinion or anything but that from his view he's just, in his mind, telling you the truth as he sees it. You know where you are now in relation to where you were so just rest in the idea that you know you're doing things and no big life changes happen overnight.

Sometimes the statements that people make to us make us really feel like all we've done is meaningless but the truth is, it matters very little if anyone sees, or acknowledges our success. Success in anything stands on it's own, whether in solitary or before the masses.