Imagine for a moment that you're badly out of shape. You make a New Year's resolution to get some exercise.
You discover quickly that you can do only three push ups without a break and that you're out of breath after jogging to the end of the block.
The Choice
These results might seem disappointing, especially if you have been in better shape at some time in the past. No reasonable person could blame you for feeling this way.
But remember that you have a choice.
Actually, you have two choices, and the one that you follow will make a really big difference.
Option 1 - Accept Where You Are And Go From There
Continue to do your workouts of three pushups and jog a block every few days. It won't be long until you become a little bit stronger. One day soon, you'll do five push ups, and then seven, and then ten. You'll soon jog two blocks and then four, and before long, you'll be up to a mile.
Option 2 - Give Up
Frustration and disappointment are natural. Everyone feels these emotions regularly. If you give up on exercise because you can only do a few push ups, you're never going to be able to do more.
Giving up has consequences. One day you'll be in even worse shape than you are now. You'll struggle to do things that seem relatively easy now. You can run away from working out, but you can't escape the consequences of avoiding exercise.
That's Why They Call It A Challenge
Any unfamiliar skill will require considerable effort to develop. Learning to dance, sing, or play a musical instrument, learning a language or becoming fluent in mathematics or computer programming, learning to play golf or tennis, studying a martial art, becoming a gourmet cook - none of these are easy. And they are MOST difficult in the beginning when we stumble through those first awkward steps.
But stumble we must. Because by stumbling and struggling and making mistakes, we become better than we were, at least a little bit better. And when we become a little bit better, we struggle a little bit less, and we make a little bit more progress. Our minds and bodies adapt to the challenge. We become stronger and more capable and more efficient in our pursuit of our objectives.
How Did That Happen?
One day, we look back and notice degrees of progress. Things that once seemed impossible are now relatively easy. How did that happen?
It happened because you got up instead of giving up, you worked hard on things that were hard, and you pushed back hard when your body and mind tried to refuse to cooperate.
Reaching New Heights
As we gain experience, we build momentum. We overcome challenges more efficiently. Even so, moving forward still requires effort and dedication. And sometimes, the frustration drives us to consider giving up all together.
When new objectives seem insurmountable, think about how much you have achieved and how far you have come. Each new level will pull down on you with renewed gravity. Keep climbing. Keep pushing. Keep moving forward.
Are you getting close to the end? No. No one ever reaches the end of the journey. But as long as you continue to push forward and make progress, that's all that will ever matter.
Enjoy each new level of accomplishment, and never let the challenges disappoint you for long.
¡Buena suerte amigos, y muchas gracias!
Daniel
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