"one step forward, two steps back" meaning in English

{
  "etymology_text": "Derived from the idiom \"two steps forward, one step back\", which originates with an anecdote about a frog in a well.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "noun"
      },
      "expansion": "one step forward, two steps back",
      "name": "head"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English reduplications",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 1 entry",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "We got all the roofing removed, but the chimney was damaged and we discovered that some rafters had to be replaced. One step forward, two steps back. Or maybe three.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A situation in which progress is more than offset by adverse developments."
      ],
      "id": "en-one_step_forward,_two_steps_back-en-noun-hX4swq7R",
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic) A situation in which progress is more than offset by adverse developments."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "one step forward, two steps back"
}

{
  "etymology_text": "Derived from the idiom \"two steps forward, one step back\", which originates with an anecdote about a frog in a well.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "noun"
      },
      "expansion": "one step forward, two steps back",
      "name": "head"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English entries with incorrect language header",
        "English idioms",
        "English lemmas",
        "English multiword terms",
        "English nouns",
        "English reduplications",
        "English terms with usage examples",
        "Pages with 1 entry",
        "Pages with entries"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "We got all the roofing removed, but the chimney was damaged and we discovered that some rafters had to be replaced. One step forward, two steps back. Or maybe three.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A situation in which progress is more than offset by adverse developments."
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic) A situation in which progress is more than offset by adverse developments."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "one step forward, two steps back"
}