It’s Okay to Struggle and Work Hard
Over the years of going to the gym I have noticed an interesting phenomenon.
Occasionally you will come across someone that is decked out in all the nicest gear, but you rarely see them actually putting consistent work in.
They make a show out of the few things that they do, and if it’s a female they might even do it practically right in front of you.
If you’re a guy you may even find yourself wondering if the person has interest in you or when you might see them again.
And then eventually you bump into them again, and upon closer observation you get the feeling that there wasn’t any actual attraction there after all. You just happened to be the guy that caught an early seat for the show.
Besides, for someone like that, actually connecting with somebody may force that person to confront the fact that they are not as advanced as they like to appear.
Even if they were into you, the factors would probably be conditional and would probably depend on what you can do for them in terms of the image they like to present.
People That Have “Made it”
As a young guy, I enjoy watching other young people that put themselves out there professionally. Skateboarders, video gamers, basketball players, etc.
Sometimes it can be motivating, but other times it just comes across as being overly cushy and soft.
Occasionally what you will see is a young person, usually 31-36 who similar to the girl at the gym, is rocking the nice clothes, out at the place of interest, but is pretty much half-sending it as far as the work goes. In other words, they look a little too comfortable.
If their heart isn’t as invested into whatever they started with and got their name out there with, they could always transition into doing something new. But doing so would force them to step out of the chair and make themselves vulnerable. Not everybody is willing to do that.
Why I Love Hip Hop
One thing that rappers get a lot of credit for is their work ethic.
If you listen to hip hop, you will see that guys really do go the extra mile. Whether that’s by staying consistent, evolving into new styles, or re-branding themselves altogether.
Even when a rapper has “made it” they usually do a good job of keeping the edge that made them successful in the first place.
But, even then, sometimes guys can do a little bit more.
Sometimes rappers get into a pocket of beat selection, subject matter, and artist persona that carries through their entire career without much variance.
And there’s a big difference between rappers like that and the Kendrick Lamars.
Doing What You Do Best
In the words of Nick Diaz on a recent podcast “There’s nothing like doing what you do.”
Nick Diaz is a UFC fighter, and has said that even though he can make millions doing other things, he would rather continue to fight because it’s what he does.
Some people make transitions within their careers. Greg Lutzka was a popular professional skateboarder when I was a kid, but today he is more known as a real-estate investor and personal finance advocate. 50 Cent was a popular rapper from the early 2000s, but today he is more known as a businessman and television executive.
However, some people continue to do what they do best. And in those cases, it becomes a matter of whether the work is getting done out of a genuine appreciation for the craft, or the benefits that come with it.
Are you just trying to look good, or are you trying to feel good? Are you trying to grow as a person, or are you looking to just garner attention? Do you really want the things that you claim you want, or are you too unwilling to make yourself vulnerable to make them happen?
Embracing The Struggle
My father has told me that humans are not put on this Earth to be comfortable. In fact, he has even gone as far as to say that we are put here to toil and struggle.
Recently I thought about something I had read in regards to Navy SEAL BUD/S training.
Basically, the trainees go through a regimen of intense physical exercise and underwater activity to test their capabilities and preparedness for actual SEAL missions.
If you cannot complete the tasks you are forced to verbally inform the instructors that you want to quit. From there, you are escorted into a room where you are served “warm blankets and hot cocoa.”
At first, my initial reaction was that warm blankets and hot cocoa would probably feel nice after dealing with freezing cold water and extreme exercise.
However, as I thought more about it, I realized that I would take intense exercise over warm blankets any day.
In fact, the longer you sit there with that, the harder it might be to get back out and push through something challenging.
Maybe It’s Just Me
Back when I was a kid we grew up skateboarding, sparring, and playing pickup basketball, where taking slams, getting beat up, and playing through injuries was almost viewed positively.
As you grow older you naturally become more cautious of these sorts of things, but you don’t want to get so uptight that you’re afraid to do anything worthwhile because you might break a nail.
But, I also realize that my own approach may not be for everybody.
Growing up we were the type of kids that did it all. One day we would be out fishing, the next we would be out playing basketball, and then the next day we would be out BMX riding.
As I get older I’m sure I will naturally start to narrow down the things I am most interested in pursuing, but for now it really is fun to explore and try new things.
