Hard Things Are Worth Pursuing
Even if you never get there…
“There are no shortcuts to any place worth going.” - Beverly Sills
Hard Things Are Worth Pursuing
Why do we pursue difficult goals in life?
We’re not even sure whether we’ll even succeed; but still, we leap forward into the abyss of our dream reality. If we knew all the failures, shortcomings, and disappointments along the yellow brick road, there’s a high probability we might not even embark on our journey.
Would Frodo accept the burden of his mission if he knew the Ring’s corrupting power would possibly lead to his demise if he knew beforehand?
As the old saying goes, “hindsight is 20/20”, or clarity is easy to see after the fact. I think this is one of the reasons so many of us quit on our goals. Whether it’s creating a daily drawing habit or trying to lose weight as a New Year’s resolution, it’s a lot harder than we originally thought.
You see, it’s easy to set goals and resolutions to do the “hard things” (e.g., lift weights 3 times a week, draw 10 minutes a day, meditate everyday, weekly ice baths, walk 10,000 steps a day, become a published author/illustrator, etc.); however, consistently pursuing these goals without giving up is another beast!
Visualize Your Future Self
Imagine waking up one day as your future self after you’ve achieved your goal.
For example, if your dream is being a published Author, imagine walking into your favorite book store and basking in the glory of seeing your Book showcased front and center! Imagine seeing people pushing each other aside as they try to get their copy before it’s sold out! What a feeling!
However, if you give up when the going gets tough, your future self will only live in regret that your past self is a quitter.
In Gretchen Rubin’s best selling book, “Better Than Before”, she emphasizes the importance of self knowledge and developing habits to help you stay on your journey rather than rely on willpower or motivation. I highly recommend you read her book.
When you think about your future self, will you be proud of your past self or live in regret?
Hard things are worth pursuing, even if you never get there. Why? Because the journey will be filled with new experiences and joys you may never have experienced if you gave up too soon.
Thanks for reading JUST ONE THING! If you liked this article, please consider giving me a ❤️. I would love to hear about your goals in the comments or tips you would like to share with others.
Until next time, keep writing, keep drawing, but most importantly, keep dreaming!