Why you should do hard things
Journal Post #17: April 3rd 2023, Bryce National Park Utah
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We are on the road again! Literally this time, on a roadtrip through National Parks in South Utah and North Arizona. We have been hiking in Bryce National Park the past couple of days and WOW, this place is otherworldly. More on it next week!
We spent the last month at home and it was everything I needed. Most of my time was spent doing two of my favorite things: snowboarding and cooking! I truly love them both, even though - and likely because - they are not always fun and rewarding. Many times these activities are actually frustrating, scary, and disappointing. So this got me questioning: why do I even do these things? And after lots of soul searching I got to the somewhat obvious conclusion that doing hard things is good for me, and I’d argue, for everyone else too!
So, here is my attempt to encourage you to do something hard, something out of your comfort zone, something that might even make you cry a little… followed by it making you feel invincible. Ok ok, it doesn’t have to make you cry, but my advice is: seek the uncomfortable, the hard, the complex; seek those things that feel like an impossibility.
Let’s be clear, I am not saying you should do things you don’t like! What I am saying is that you should purposefully seek things that you are curious about and would like to be doing but for some reason you are not (yet!), even when those things appear hard or impossible.
How often do you think of stuff you would like to be doing but are not?
I know I often do. I have wanted to learn how to surf for years. I would like to know how to speak Portuguese and Italian. I have always been curious about glass blowing. Writing a book has crossed by mind. The list goes on.
All of these things scare me for one reason or the other. They seem hard, complex, unattainable. They require time and effort, which I feel I don’t have. They ask for commitment, which I don’t want to give.
BUT, I know I should commit, make the time, and put in the effort. Why? Because I have never regretted doing that, not a single time.
Have you ever regretted doing something that scared you? or trying to learn something that you thought you couldn’t?
I know I haven’t, even when I I have failed at those things.
When you do hard things, you grow! By design, things that challenge us make us learn a new skill, problem-solve, be creative, and overcome fears. Learning to do something new, facing your fears, conquering what seemed impossible, it all makes you grow as a person - it makes you stronger.
Oh and how it can boost your self confidence! What an incredible feeling it’s to prove yourself that you can do something you thought you couldn’t. It’s a thousand times better than proving anything to anyone else! Amiright?
This in turn motivates you to continue to push yourself to achieve more in all other areas of your life. It expands your comfort zone, it makes you believe in yourself more easily, more naturally - as it should be.
Even when it’s frustrating or disappointing, it’s good for you. You are building resilience, hence equipping yourself to better handle future obstacles.
Even when we fail, it’s worth it.
So, I will be busy planning where I am going to learn Portuguese and how to surf, while I hope you are busy planning how you are going to do whatever it’s you have been wanting to do for a while.
Running a marathon is your dream? SIGN UP FOR ONE
You want to travel but don’t want to do it alone? BOOK THAT TRIP
Learning to code will help your career but appears impossible? STUDY IT
Want to eat better but cooking intimidates you? COOK
Don’t make excuses. Just go for it!