You have to do the hard things.
You have to make
the call you’re afraid to make.
You have to get up
earlier than you want to get up.
You have to give
more than you get in return right away.
You have to care
more about others than they care about you.
You have to fight
when you are already injured, bloody, and sore.
You have to feel
unsure and insecure when playing it safe seems smarter.
You have to lead
when no one else is following you yet.
You have to invest
in yourself even though no one else is.
You have to look
like a fool while you’re looking for answers you don’t have.
You have to grind
out the details when it’s easier to shrug them off.
You have to deliver
results when making excuses is an option.
You have to search
for your own explanations even when you’re told to accept the “facts.”
You have to make
mistakes and look like an idiot.
You have to try
and fail and try again.
You have to run
faster even though you’re out of breath.
You have to be
kind to people who have been cruel to you.
You have to meet
deadlines that are unreasonable and deliver results that are unparalleled.
You have to be
accountable for your actions even when things go wrong.
You have to keep
moving towards where you want to be no matter what’s in front of you.
You have to do the hard things. The things that no one else
is doing. The things that scare you. The things that make you wonder how much
longer you can hold on.
Those are the things that define you. Those are the things
that make the difference between living a life of mediocrity or outrageous
success.
The hard things are the easiest things to avoid. To excuse
away. To pretend like they don’t apply to you.
The simple truth about how ordinary people accomplish
outrageous feats of success is that they do the hard things that smarter,
wealthier, more qualified people don’t have the courage — or desperation — to
do.
Do the hard things. You might be surprised at how amazing
you really are.
