Do Hard things#1: Anyone can do it

Over the years, I have developed a reputation as mr. “tough guy.” I am that friend that will tell it to you straight whether you like it or not. Even though it has bitten me in the butt a few times, you could say I have developed a unique relationship with discomfort. Today I would like to share a few insights I have gained from being uncomfortable. 

Lately I have developed a fascination with the cold. You can find me running around in shorts and sandals on winter days, hot tubs are always accompanied by dunks in the cold pool, and every day is started with a brisk cold shower. I have become known as the “ice man” to some, and it never gets old. But this wasn’t always the case. I didn’t wake up one day, flip the water to cold and think “you know, I really like this.” On the contrary! I couldn’t do things the way true ice enthusiasts recommended when I first started. Someone once told me you have to start with the shower cold, learning to overcome the initial jolt. I still can’t do that. It’s not my style. 

My point is this: there was once a day when I was very adamantly not “that guy.” I had to develop my “that-guyness” over time. It was a slow development. When I talk to people about my relationship to cold, and discomfort in general, people talk as if I like it and they don’t. They treat it like a difference in taste. They may as well be telling me “yes, you like sushi, but I much prefer pizza, myself.” Maybe there are people out there that like the cold, but I am not one of them. Many people, like myself, have simply detach themselves from the need to be comfortable. I have always believed that one who seeks pleasure finds pain; and the man who finds pain will be rewarded with even greater pleasure.

It is also important to note that this is some pain. Things like cold showers, exercise, and lowering your sugar intake are backed by science and proven to be better for you. I am most certainly not promoting full-blown masochism. Ultimately, it’s important to ease into things, rather than jumping in all at once.Pain doesn’t stop being pain because you’re used to it, it just loses a bit of its sting. 

My point in talking about hard things is not to discourage you. People often tell me I am “built differently.” I suppose that is not wrong, but my response is always “yes, I built myself differently.” That’s the message I want to convey to you today: you can get yourself there! It may take some creativity, and you may need to write a battle plan that plays to your strengths and weaknesses, but anyone can achieve greatness! 

The one thing you truly must have is adaptability. I have noticed that a lot of people have mental barriers up, blocking them from growing. I won’t lie to you: I have had them too. That’s why I emphasize starting small. A slow start to the race is better than no start to the race. Especially if you want to make a long-lasting change, stretching yourself out too much makes you snap back like a rubber band. Once you take the first step, you will realize that you can do it. From there you can start to up the intensity because you aren’t fighting against the belief that you can’t do it.

I always picture it like crossing a stream: I check each new stone to make sure it is secure before I make the leap over to it. If you keep your focus on the next feasible hop, you will wind up crossing the stream before you know it! Difficult things don’t necessarily have to be excruciating. Not every goal has to be your next mission impossible. If crossing the ocean seems impossible, find the first step you can take in that direction. Then the next, and the next, and the next. The only way to eat an entire elephant is one bite at a time. 

I hope this helps you to rise to your challenges. I have found that even if you fail the challenge, sometimes the best way to live is marching towards where you want to be. I want to encourage you to take your first step today, because whether you believe it or not: you are more than capable of achieving what you want to achieve. 

Until next time

Cheers