Doing Hard Things

Last January I decided to “lost weight and get in shape” .  A great goal, obviously, but how?  I started by watching what I ate (thanks Sparkpeople!) and walking for exercise.  But I soon realized that I wanted to push myself and decided to start running.  In April, when the snow finally started to melt I went for my first shambling run in some old beat up sneakers.  I ran for about 20 minutes and just over a mile, but I persevered.  I kept at it and was to go faster and longer.  In July I ran my first race since the 10th grade.  I was slow – but not the slowest!  As I improve, I keep upgrading my goals.  I’ll probably never run a marathon or a sub-8 minute mile.   My goals, while hard, are not impossible – complete a 60 minute run once a week, run 3-4 times a week, complete a 5K in less than 30 minutes, finish a 10K. 

Now I love to run,  I love the feeling of accomplishment, I love the “runner’s high” after a hard workout.  Now I think – I’ve done one hard thing – what else can I do?  Learn an instrument.  Learn a language.  Take up painting.  Redesign a user interface for ease of use and clarity.  Take up cake decorating.  Write a blog post at lease one a week.  What else can I squeeze in?  So many things to learn and do … so little time.  Tick, tick, tick.

Inspired by “Do hard things” from Lead on Purpose

Doing hard things means intentionally taking action toward something that you know will not be easy, and yet the end result will far exceed the effort you will exert the pain you will suffer.

Knowing the road will not be easy, why should you do hard things? One reason stands out in my mind: doing hard things instills in you a sense of accomplishment and the knowledge that you can do what you say you will do. You build self-worth from which the desire for continuous improvement springs.