Can you learn to become more successful in life by conquering difficult and challenging circumstances? By our very nature, we adapt to our surroundings, but difficulties can start when people stay away from challenging circumstances. For many of us, it is often easier to take the route of least resistance; however, this strategy often leaves us feeling unsatisfied, never knowing whether we have tried our best and what our true potential may be.
I’m a firm believer in doing things that are difficult, both physically and mentally. Does it matter if you’re the best? Not in the slightest. The important part is to push your boundaries and to push yourself constantly. Many of us are naturally resistant to trying something new in the fear that we may fail. But remember, you are only as good as your last performance, and overcoming resistance can be fruitful and lead to new opportunities and experiences in your life.
I’m also a firm believer in having strong work ethics; this is often how I persevere and thrive under challenging circumstances that others may shy away from. I recall a few instances when I set physical challenges that I wasn’t prepared for – did it prevent me from achieving my goals? Not in the slightest – in fact – it motivated me to adopt a “mind over matter” approach to tackling these challenges.
Cycling 100 miles in the Prudential Ride London was physically demanding; I remember the feeling of having nothing left in the tank when I hit the 40-mile mark. Should I have stopped and conceded that I wasn’t in good enough shape to continue to the finish line? No, by pushing myself I was able to determine that I’m physically capable of cycling 100 miles.
Should I have endured 26 miles of pain in Budapest Marathon? Well, in a word, yes. I’m a firm believer that whilst it may not be easy to see the light at the end of the tunnel, with 80% determination and 20% ability, you can achieve just about anything in life.
I remember hearing that the Royal Marines were going to be opening a reservist centre in a neighbouring city and was keen to see if I could get involved. When I discovered that I was too old to join, I was surprised and mortified in equal measure. The easier decision, of course, would have been to forget about it; however, I decided to make enquiries as to what potential opportunities remain open. In the months that followed, I found myself in Army training and making my personal contributions to HM Armed Forces. Was it without issue? No, I remember being involved in a loaded Tactical Advance to Battle (which in retrospective was perhaps beyond my capabilities) and much to the amusement of my fellow comrades, I puked all over the place. Did I stop and think that I had reached my limitation? No, I wiped my face and kept my head up – perhaps that’s the military way!
Many people say that it’s the taking part that counts; I disagree though – the point of competing is to finish what you set out to do. But it’s equally important to understand that everything in life is relative, and that there is maybe always someone better. It’s important to take pride in our accomplishments and even more so to never listen to the naysayers. There will always be those who give up too easily and as a result, missing out on great opportunities. Similarly, there are those who understand that every opportunity manifests itself as a learning experience. What’s the worst that could happen? You might make bad acquaintances? You learn that you’re not as good as you originally thought you were? Guess what, lots of other people aren’t “good enough” either, but at least you put your head above the parapet.
My general belief is that if you have this discipline to carry you through physically challenging circumstances, you pretty much carry this with you into other areas in life. In a business situation, will you take the easy route and do things half baked? Or will you adapt, become better, take a stance and perform to the best of your ability?
By all means, take the route of least resistance and judge for yourself the outcome of your decision. But how will you feel when you look back on your life? Will you feel pleased that you went down the road most travelled? Or would you rather look back on your life and be proud that you’ve surpassed your own expectations and achieved greatness?
Opportunities present themselves all the time – the only person that can dictate your decision-making process is you. Remember, other people’s limitations don’t need to become your own.
And after all, what would you attempt if you knew you could accept failure? And if not now, when?
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You can guess the location the picture was taken and you can win 0.1 SBD. Here is the link to my introduction the competition: Where Is This Challenge
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