Too often we get stuck in a hamster wheel of habit. We do things that aren’t good for us, remain where we shouldn’t and put ourselves through voluntary suffering all in the name of comfort. We don’t know these things are damaging, because unfortunately, too often, it’s become normal to us.
The truth is we often avoid the ‘hard things’ because they are the easiest things to avoid. To excuse away. To pretend like they don’t apply to you. But we all need to step out of our comfort zone.
We need to do the things that no one else is doing. The things that scare you. The things that make you wonder how much longer you can hold on. Those are the things that define you. Those are the things that make the difference between living a life of mediocrity or outrageous success.
Charles de Gaulle once said the following, “A man of character finds a special attractiveness in difficulty, since it is only by coming to grips with difficulty that he can realize his potentialities.”
I came across a post the other day that was a stark reminder about why we need to do ‘hard things’. It was a reminder that the simple truth about how ordinary people accomplish outrageous feats of success is that they do the hard things that smarter, wealthier, more qualified people don’t have the courage — or desperation — to do.
Taken from this post, following is a list of 19 “Hard Things” that we should all do everyday:
•You have to make the call you’re afraid to make.
•You have to get up earlier than you want to get up.
•You have to give more than you get in return right away.
•You have to care more about others than they care about you.
•You have to fight when you are already injured, bloody, and sore.
•You have to feel unsure and insecure when playing it safe seems smarter.
•You have to lead when no one else is following you yet.
•You have to invest in yourself even though no one else is.
•You have to look like a fool while you’re looking for answers you don’t have.
•You have to grind out the details when it’s easier to shrug them off.
•You have to deliver results when making excuses is an option.
•You have to search for your own explanations even when you’re told to accept the “facts”.
•You have to be willing to make mistakes and look like an idiot.
•You have try and fail and try again.
•You have to run faster even though you’re out of breath.
•You have to be kind to people who have been cruel to you.
•You have to meet deadlines that are unreasonable and deliver results that are unparalleled.
•You have to be accountable for your actions even when things go wrong.
•You have to keep moving towards where you want to be no matter what’s in front of you.
Keep pushing your boundaries. Keep challenging yourself and don’t give up on your goals or dreams. Rethink the way you live your daily life. Rethink the way you train. Rethink your limits.
