We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.~ Aristotle
The human brain is hardwired to seek pleasure and avoid pain; the brain signals us for imminent danger, a safeguard for survival. But can we bypass this default? The path of least resistance may sometimes be appropriate; my GPS certainly thinks so, yet we grow when we do hard things. Like in weight lifting, the resistance builds the muscle, and that muscle builds our character in life.
Moving out of our comfort zones instead of staying in the pattern we have always known will impact our lives on levels we could not have imagined. These experiences provide a sense of confidence and inner courage, equipping us to manage what may come our way. The power of self grows with each task accomplished and each step taken towards the goal.
When I think about my life, I remember the events that changed me. The challenges I overcame with the satisfaction of pushing through or the ones I attempted but failed and the provocation to pick me out of my pity party and try again.
A few things stand out that unveiled a reservoir of strength and determination I never knew existed and a resilience that has stayed with me through many difficult moments: riding horses and traveling alone. Both required me to step out of my comfort zone and trust in myself. Having a tenacious single mother who never gave up on her dream fueled the source of inspiration.
Rarely do we push our physical, mental, and spiritual limits on purpose. They get pushed unexpectedly by life and circumstance; however, when we do it consciously and develop the reflexes to handle the reactions, we are already conditioned when we get thrown curve balls.
Avoidance is a way to keep things in the shadows. When confronting our fears and doubts, we shine awareness into our weaknesses. It is only then that we can focus on strengthening them. If we always do what is easy and comfortable, essentially doing what we do well, our weakest link will still exist. Concentrating on developing what is weak, we prop up the whole, becoming more integrated and well-rounded.
Growing is an act of transformation. Each day, it occurs unknowingly to us within our bodies. To develop our potential, though, takes effort and consciousness.
It becomes easier once we decide to do something hard and then do it. We become more adept at the process of conquering our limitations. The hard thing doesn’t become easier; we have just adapted to the mindset of it. When we choose to do hard things, bypassing the path of least resistance, it makes us stronger to face other demanding things.
One trick is breaking the effort or project into smaller, attainable tasks. When the brain doesn’t see it as overwhelming, it will allow us to take one step at a time. During an endurance race, I focus on the leg of the race I am on. Looking to the next check-in or water stop. This allows the brain to succeed in multiple triumphs along the way. The last leg of the event is simply the culmination of all. Slow and steady wins the race.
The next time a situation arises that will take added effort and move you out of your comfort, instead of shrugging it off, take a breath and say sure, I would love to. This is the gift you give yourself, a tiny win of satisfaction for your brain that you accomplished something you may have once avoided. Nike had it right; just do it!
A part of control is learning to correct your own weaknesses. The person doesn’t live who was born with everything. Sometimes he has one weak point, generally he has several. The first thing is to know your faults. And then take on a systematic plan of correcting them. You know the old saying about a chain only being as strong as its weakest link. The same can be said in the chain of skills a man forges.
