I was at the gym this morning and mid-workout started thinking about the progress I've made since coming to Japan. Training your body to become stronger is a process that takes time. You need to push your muscle fibers to their limits, eat well, and get plenty of rest. You need to rinse and repeat and most importantly be consistent. Over time your body starts adapting and evolving to the increasing strain you put on it during your workouts. As they evolve, they grow. As they grow, they become more defined and you become stronger as a result. Again, this takes time and requires a lot of discipline. I started thinking about how weightlifting is a great (and popular) way for people to work on themselves, and like building muscle, so does developing any skill or creating any change in your life.
Change is hard. There are times where all of us find something we want to do and after a few tries become discouraged enough to want to quit. It could be playing baseball, studying math, finding love, or starting a diet. Humans are creatures of habit and so incorporating new routines in our lives can be quite difficult to maintain. We might come up with some excuse not to do it. Maybe the weather's bad. Maybe we've gotten bored of it. Maybe you have a headache. Maybe you don't have the time.
In my experience, the best way to get past all of that is to just do it. Make yourself go even if you have reasons not to. It's easy to come up with reasons not to do something. They don't matter. They shouldn't stop you from pursuing something you want. Don't think, just do and keep doing it. Creating the habit is the greatest challenge to overcome. Once you do that, all you have to do is stay consistent and keep striving to get better.
Make yourself do it even if it's snowing or it's blazing hot. Weather is the easiest excuse to make. There are people who risk their lives every day fighting fires, running away from missiles, slaving away in coal mines, etc. on a daily basis; and you can't be bothered to go for a run because it's hot outside and you don't like sweating? No, no, no. If you want to develop yourself, there's no room for pleasantries and your drive to grow should be unwavering to the forces of nature.
Make yourself do it when you don't feel like it. It's not fun anymore? Life isn't all about having fun. You sometimes have to commit even when you don't want to. For some, being a parent teaches you this on a daily basis (changing diapers sucks). Especially when working on yourself, you often have to face your own weaknesses and that can be discouraging and like leg day for some, it sucks working on it. But that's more reason to work on it!
Make yourself do it even if you're feeling a little sick or have a headache. Of course, take care of yourself (don't put yourself in the hospital), but the sniffles or a headache shouldn't stop you from being mentally or physically active. They're just nuisances and your body's already taking care of itself.
Make yourself do it even if you have to make time to go. Where there's a will, there's a way. So many students stay up in the dead of night just to finish reports. They made time when they had to. Saying there's "no time" is nothing more than an excuse in my eyes. If you really want something, you'll find a way to squeeze in the time, even if it means a few less hours of sleep. The human body is amazing. I know people who run on a few hours of sleep every night and still manage to function. These people, while stressed and look miserable some days, get shit done and they manage to find a way to do it all even when it means sacrificing time for leisure and relaxation.
The reward for all of that hard work is worth all of the blood, sweat, and sacrifices you've made to get there. It is said that success isn't about the destination, but the path you took and the struggles you overcame along the way to get there. Change takes time and patience truly is a virtue, but when you see your progress come into fruition you feel proud of yourself. That sense of pride is priceless and nothing can emulate the satisfaction of knowing you did something through your own efforts.
Peace
Change is hard. There are times where all of us find something we want to do and after a few tries become discouraged enough to want to quit. It could be playing baseball, studying math, finding love, or starting a diet. Humans are creatures of habit and so incorporating new routines in our lives can be quite difficult to maintain. We might come up with some excuse not to do it. Maybe the weather's bad. Maybe we've gotten bored of it. Maybe you have a headache. Maybe you don't have the time.
In my experience, the best way to get past all of that is to just do it. Make yourself go even if you have reasons not to. It's easy to come up with reasons not to do something. They don't matter. They shouldn't stop you from pursuing something you want. Don't think, just do and keep doing it. Creating the habit is the greatest challenge to overcome. Once you do that, all you have to do is stay consistent and keep striving to get better.
Make yourself do it even if it's snowing or it's blazing hot. Weather is the easiest excuse to make. There are people who risk their lives every day fighting fires, running away from missiles, slaving away in coal mines, etc. on a daily basis; and you can't be bothered to go for a run because it's hot outside and you don't like sweating? No, no, no. If you want to develop yourself, there's no room for pleasantries and your drive to grow should be unwavering to the forces of nature.
Make yourself do it when you don't feel like it. It's not fun anymore? Life isn't all about having fun. You sometimes have to commit even when you don't want to. For some, being a parent teaches you this on a daily basis (changing diapers sucks). Especially when working on yourself, you often have to face your own weaknesses and that can be discouraging and like leg day for some, it sucks working on it. But that's more reason to work on it!
Make yourself do it even if you're feeling a little sick or have a headache. Of course, take care of yourself (don't put yourself in the hospital), but the sniffles or a headache shouldn't stop you from being mentally or physically active. They're just nuisances and your body's already taking care of itself.
Make yourself do it even if you have to make time to go. Where there's a will, there's a way. So many students stay up in the dead of night just to finish reports. They made time when they had to. Saying there's "no time" is nothing more than an excuse in my eyes. If you really want something, you'll find a way to squeeze in the time, even if it means a few less hours of sleep. The human body is amazing. I know people who run on a few hours of sleep every night and still manage to function. These people, while stressed and look miserable some days, get shit done and they manage to find a way to do it all even when it means sacrificing time for leisure and relaxation.
The reward for all of that hard work is worth all of the blood, sweat, and sacrifices you've made to get there. It is said that success isn't about the destination, but the path you took and the struggles you overcame along the way to get there. Change takes time and patience truly is a virtue, but when you see your progress come into fruition you feel proud of yourself. That sense of pride is priceless and nothing can emulate the satisfaction of knowing you did something through your own efforts.
Whatever change you're trying to make in your life, just keep going.
Whatever you're trying to improve on in life, like your strength or drawing skills, just keep doing it.
One step at a time, stay determined.
Peace
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| Even when times are tough, you gotta keep climbing until you reach the top. |
These last few weeks have been hectic so it took me longer than usual to finish my writing. I've started picking up music production and that will eat up some time as well, but I'm striving for at least one post a week.
ReplyDeleteThanks to those who have been reading and I hope y'all have a good day. =D