When we talk about life goals, we usually talk about living a comfortable life. Besides having a family, we talk about owning a property, a few cars, going on trips, having enough assets and investments to sustain our lifestyle upon retirement, doing whatever we want whenever we want. And if we do get sick somehow, get hospice care at home where we’re comfortable and in charge and surrounded by our loved ones.
It’s nice to dream of these things only to realize the price you have to pay to get there. Everybody wants to live a comfortable life, but no one wants to do the hard work to get there.
The thing is, we cannot achieve our goals if we don’t do the hard things. That’s a fact of life, one of its constants. We need to embrace the fact that we have to get our hands dirty if we want the kind of life we dream of.
1. Do it for your growth.
Nothing is more fulfilling in life than realizing how much you’ve grown. If there’s one thing that doing hard things is sure to do for you, that is to contribute to your growth as an individual. People who try to duck out of things that will give them a hard time usually don’t go anywhere. If you don’t want to end up like them, take this time to find ways that will contribute to your growth.
2. Do it to be a better person.
Growth makes you a better person, an upgraded version of yourself — version 2.0. Allowing yourself to do hard things, such as forgiving someone who has wronged you in so many ways, and learning to overcome offense already makes you feel good about yourself and definitely makes you a better person.
3. Do it to be set apart.
Usually, those who don’t challenge nor push themselves end up in a life of mediocrity. Sad but true. Take a look around you. Most people don’t like to do a lot of things because they find them difficult, maybe not physically but emotionally or mentally. If you set out to do things that you personally don’t feel comfortable with, things that will definitely take you out of your comfort zone, people will start to notice, especially those who know you well. If you take on the tasks no one at your workplace is willing to do, the next time a promotion comes up, you’ll probably be first on your supervisor or manager’s list. This shows that you’re a valuable asset because of your character and not just your skills.
Keep in mind that character will always beat talent at the end of the day. Persistence, determination, and grit will win over skill with no character.
4. Do it for your health.
If there is one superpower that most people would love to possess, it is the ability to eat anything and everything without gaining weight and compromising health. We don’t like going on diets or eating healthy food or exercising. Why? Because it’s hard. All the more that we need to go on a diet, eat healthily, and work out because our health is on the line.
You might think that you’re invincible now because you’re still young and you can always start later on, but what will you do if your recklessness causes you to become ill? Unless you want to live the rest of your life under medication, you need to do the hard things — the right things — now.
5. Do it to be smarter and wiser.
They say that one of life’s best teachers is experience. When it teaches, you can’t help but learn. And unfortunately, many people learn the lessons too late in life because they avoided the hard stuff earlier on. Maturity goes with constantly doing things that challenge you and push your limits. Wisdom comes from learning the lessons that go with getting through tough times.
6. Do it to be happy.
When you learn to do hard things constantly, you’ll be amazed by the results you get in life. You not only grow and become a better and more mature version of yourself, but you also live in constant fulfillment that you never backed down on any challenge and have never regretted doing so. It gives you a different sense of joy and peace, knowing that you gave it your all and had, in your own way, made a difference in people’s lives.
The bottom line is, if we want to live comfortably later on in life, we need to do hard things now. Doing what’s hard for you and moving out of our comfort zone now will eventually put us in a position to enjoy life to its fullest without any regrets.