Weightlifters Thrive On Pain – Maybe We Should Too

Olympic class weightlifters must go through brutal training in order to achieve greatness in their sport. They must purposely expose themselves to great pain and risk on a daily basis.  In every workout they must push themselves to their limits and risk injuries.

The training must produce pain.  If it does not, then you are doing it wrong.

I’ve realized that just like the weightlifters, nothing difficult is ever achieved in life unless you purposely expose yourself to risk and pain.  This process is supposed to hurt, be difficult, and be uncomfortable.  If it’s not, you’re either doing it wrong or not trying hard enough.

As I pursue trying to achieve success as an author, it is painful, it is risky, it is uncomfortable.  This has recently caused me to complain and make excuses, but the weightlifter never complains.  He understands the challenges of The Road and literally presses on. 

It’s time for me to keep pushing, keep pressing, and expect and accept the resulting pain.

When Crawling Is All You Can Do

I find myself in a six-month period in which I published my first book, was quoted in the print version of the Wall Street Journal, and organizations are flying me to exclusive resorts, so I may impart my knowledge to them.

I don’t say this to brag, I try not to even think about it, because things are moving so fast.  However, I do state it here to give you a perspective on the distance I’ve traveled.

Six years ago I had been unemployed for over seven months, with absolutely no prospects.  I wondered if my useful time on The Road was ending.  I had been knocked down. I was hurting. I was weak. I felt worthless.

I was struggling to crawl forward.  It was so difficult, I wondered if the effort to crawl back, the first step in getting back, was even worth it.

When we are crawling, we have a different perspective of The Road.  You see just The Road and nothing else, you are too close it.  You are looking down and you are not able to see the potential that is available down The Road.  The crawling is hard, it hurts and at times your breath is choked by the dust of your broken dreams.

But you have to crawl before you walk, and walk before you run, and run before you fly.  And I am so glad that I kept crawling.

So if you are crawling right now, you keep crawling brother and sister, as hard and as well as you possibly can.  Because The Road is long and there is still much for you to do.

And for us who are faring better, if you see someone struggling on this journey, please stop and lift them up. Dust them off and remind them that better things are possible down The Road.