Facing difficulties

If you are afraid, that probably means you should do it.

What are you afraid of? A difficult conversation? That’s probably going to happen regardless of whether you try to avoid it or not. And if it doesn’t happen, what are the odds that it actually works out in your favor? Instead, the opposite may be true and you have to live with the regret of not acting or of not saying something just because you didn’t want to feel uncomfortable in that moment.

You will gain more respect for yourself and others will have more respect for you if you face challenging moments head-on. If you are the type of person that always runs away when things get difficult, do you really think that will make you feel better about yourself?

Everyone has fears. But how we respond to those fears is what makes the man/woman. It takes courage to face your fears. Will you answer the call?

Giving more effort and solving difficult problems

Usually, when effort increases, reward increases. Following the easy path is less likely to be rewarding (financially or otherwise). Because if it is easy then everyone would do it. And if everyone does it, it is less likely to be valued

Think back to economics class with supply and demand…the greater the supply (or the more people who have the ability to do something and want to do it), the less the demand and the less valuable that resource/task becomes.

If you do hard things or solve difficult problems that others won’t or can’t do, you’re more likely to be rewarded.

Compound interest on the decisions you make

The best thing we have going for us is that we’re young and capable. Compound interest is our most trusted ally. Work hard and bust our butts (sacrifice) now so we can live like nobody else in the future.

Easy choices, hard life. Hard decisions, easy life.

Choose to do something difficult now that moves you closer to your goals. It’s always easier to put it off until tomorrow, but that will prolong the inevitable and works against your best interest.

Setting easy and hard goals

It’s only a partial truth when you hear the saying, “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” Because the alternative to that is that something could beat you down and wear you out, and if you don’t allow yourself to recover before the next defeat, you’re only going to see a decrease in performance. Too many harsh defeats in a row could decrease your confidence, and instead of making you stronger, it weakens your resolve.

Practice balancing between setting hard to achieve, but still realistic goals and getting some quick wins under your belt (to build momentum and confidence). When you do go for something and fail, prioritize learning from your mistakes and recovering from failures. Just make sure that A) you’re not aiming too low just to avoid the feeling of pain/loss; and B) you have regular stretch goals that are realistic, but definitely not guaranteed.