I am struggling today. If you have tried to be consistent
with something you care about, maybe my efforts will resonate with you.
It is nearly 365 days since I have started my degree. Some
days most glorious, some days most frustrating and stressful I have managed to
my best level so far.
Today I want to give up
But today? Well, I am struggling today. Today, I don't want
to study. Today, I don’t want to stick to the routine. Today, I don’t think my
brain supports me with my daily studies. Looks like my mind is exhausted, and I
don’t have enough time to give myself a break or procrastinate. Today, I want
to give up.
Research from the University of Pennsylvania shows that
perseverance is a trait closely related to success. I can use some grit today.
This is what I want to remind myself when I want to give
up...
Your mind is a suggestion engine
Consider every idea you think is a suggestion, not an order.
Now, my thoughts show that I am tired. Suggest that I give up. This shows that
I have taken a simple path.
However, if I pause for a while, I will find new suggestions.
My thoughts also imply that once this work is completed, I will be very happy.
This shows that I will respect the identity I am building when I follow the
schedule. This shows that I can complete this task, even if I don't want to.
Remember, these suggestions are not commands. They are just
choices. I have the right to choose the option to follow.
Discomfort is Temporary
Compared to the usual day or time of the week, nearly any habit
you perform is over quickly. Your workout will be completed in one or two hours.
Your report will be submitted tomorrow morning. This article will be completed
soon.
Life now is easier than ever. 300 years ago, if you didn't
hunt for your food and build your own house, you would die. Today, we complain
and whine about forgetting our iPhone charger.
Maintain perspective. Your life is good, and your discomfort
is temporary. Step into the moment of thinking pattern and let it increase your
strength.
Once completed, you will never regret good work.
Theodore Roosevelt once famously said: "Far and away the best prize that life
has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.."
Therefore, we often seem to want to easily complete the work that is worth
doing. . We want our work to be helpful and respected, but we don't want to
struggle in our work. We want our stomachs to be flat and our arms strong, but
we don't want to wear it through another workout. We need the final result, not
the failed attempt before the final result. We need gold, but no grinding.
Anyone would want a gold medal. But a few people want to
train like Olympians.
However, despite our resistance, after completing the due hard
work, I have never found myself feeling worse. There were days when it was so difficult
to start assignments with three-four due in a week, but it was always worth
completing. Sometimes, even the simple act of appearing ordinary and having
the courage to do the work is a victory worth celebrating.
This is life
Life is a constant balance between giving in to the ease of distraction
or overcoming the pain of discipline. It is no exaggeration to say that our
lives and identities are defined in this delicate balance. What is life, if not
the sum of 100,000 daily battles and small decisions to either make it or give
it up?
This moment you don’t feel like doing the work? This is not a
moment to be thrown away. This is not a dress rehearsal. This moment, like any
other moment, is your life. The way you spend it will ultimately make you
proud.
Let the world decide
So, what should I do when I want to give up? I show up.
Do I show up at my best? I doubt it. But my job is not to
judge how good or bad I am.
My job is to do things to my best level and let my teachers decide.
I personally think habit formation is the ultimate answer to the endless distractions that our mind throws our way. The distractions or suggestions as you call it, can be overcome by powerful habits. We might not always be strong in the face of distractions, but we can train and discipline our mind to stick to a certain routine. Rewards and rest upon task completion will enhance your performance. I agree with you that grit is essential but so is knowing when to quit.
ReplyDelete“Consider every idea you think is a suggestion, not an order.”
ReplyDelete“My thoughts also imply that once this work is completed, I will be very happy.”
These lines are worth millions. It is indeed a good way of thinking. If we develop this mindset laziness also would lose its power eventually.
I appreciate this piece of writing as it taught me a new perspective of looking at life and it’s hardships. We tend to obey the negative suggestions instead of positive things our mind suggests. If we indeed think of them as suggestions and not orders, our life would be much more beautiful and easier.
It is true that we accept results without working for them. What we need to understand is that “In order to archive results, one must work for them, not hope for them.” if you are not happy with the body you have, then work for it. There was a quote that someone said, which stuck in my mind till now. ‘STAYING IN THE BODY YOU ARE NOT PROUD OF, IS YOUR DECISION’. Just like that when we feel like giving up, i think we should remind ourselves that it is all in our hands whether to take action or not.
I agree with these ideas.
ReplyDeleteWhen I feel like giving up I always think about my future plans and my desires. I think that if I work hard I can achieve my goals. So, it becomes a motivation to me. Yes, we all want to achieve our goals, but we do not like to work hard for it. Without doing anything we cannot be successful, we cannot have a good result at the end.
Sometimes when I doing a work that I do not want to do I usually think, "this will end in few minutes/ few hours". I make my mind to do that task by thinking like that. We are the ones who can achieve our goals. No one can achieve them on behalf of us. So, we must work hard for it. Giving up is not the solution. If we fail in doing a task, we must try again and again.
"Discomfort is temporary"
ReplyDeleteI quote this extract just because this is like my motto in life. When I feel totally fed up with the piles of work I have to complete or infront of the unavoidable challenges in life, I usually used to think in this way; all are temporary, likewise these discomforts are also temporary. After few hours or after few days all will be fine. If we want to be success in future, somehow we have to tolerate all these problems. Giving-up is not a solution. If we used to give-up all the obstacles we will have a stagnant lifestyle. So, it is necessarily to bear up "discomforts" riminding "all are temporary", and improve your patience in order to achieve a bright future.