Digging Deep

chopnchat ♦ July 31, 2012 ♦ 5 Comments

You commit…you grow.

Starting and stopping.  One interest or passion abandoned for another.

How many have there been? Can you remember? While turning your back on something that is clearly not serving you is a decision that works to further your life, what about those decisions where you just didn’t stick it out long enough?

You know…

• You started walking, then running, and soon you ran a little farther and a little faster. Then life intruded and you stopped. And when you started again it was like you’d never run in your life. Your lungs burned. You were stiff, not elegant. It wasn’t fun. It was downright painful. Maybe the gym would be better…running’s hard on your body, everybody says so.
• You got the promotion. And nothing was easier. In fact it was harder.  The learning curve made you feel stupid and like some imposter who was the wrong choice just waiting to be found out.   So instead of sweating and scraping and scaling the wall, you decide that maybe this isn’t the right fit for you.
• You started a family. And realize that kids are way more time than anyone told you. More work, too. More often than not you feel you are not running on passion for this life enterprise, but fumes. And quietly, you feel stuck.
• You fancy being a writer. Yet, you can’t get inspired. You go to write and see your cluttered space. Your head is empty. If that space was taken care of, everything would be perfect. You would definitely be productive. Also, you need a desk suited for a writer. And a small office. Because then you will be able to write.
• You go back to school because you see people half as intelligent as you getting advanced degrees. And you figure, if they can do it…But then you find out that it is like having a second job. Which requires a level of presence and perseverance to see through. And you think that this is probably not a good time in your life. Maybe next year.

Committing to the hard things, the uncomfortable, the challenging, the scary, the unknown…that is how to grow.   For this moment, for this day, for this week…commit.  And then-do it again.  And…repeat. 

If you had started doing anything two weeks ago, by today you would have been two weeks better at it.”
― John Mayer

In two YEARS you might run a marathon, finish a play, a book, grad school…all because you committed and cooperated with your own plan.  Begin with the end in mind and do the day by day trench work needed.  Because there is always trenchwork. 

Dig deep. Push on.