EMAIL #191-23RD OCTOBER 2022 - "LOVE THE STRUGGLE – PART 2"
How much struggle is too much?
A lot of people are hurting right now.
Like my long-time architectural glass contractor and friend, who’s house and factory are both under water due to the massive floods in Victoria last week. That is simply too much struggle.
After 2 + years of the pandemic we now have runaway inflation, skyrocketing interest rates and chronic staff shortages. Everyone I talk to is already struggling too much. Then the floods came.
Personally, 2022 has been the toughest year ever for my business and I have never worked harder in my life. Nothing looks like changing much for another 2 or 3 years, so I am constantly asking myself is it worth all the struggles?
18 months ago, in the middle of the pandemic, I wrote about this topic, and I was able to put a positive spin on it by philosophizing that everything meaning full and rewarding in life is a constant struggle (raising children, marriage, health & fitness, your finances etc.)
And the quote I used is even more relevant today.
“The secret to success is consistency of purpose.” Benjamin Disraech
As hard as it seems right now, the floods will pass, inflation will slow down, and staff will become available. The only way to stay on track is to have a good enough reason to keep doing what you do.
What makes the struggle bearable for me is doing meaningful productive work, day after day. But everything has a limit; so how much struggle is too much?
Clearly living through any large-scale natural disasters (floods, bushfires + earthquakes) is too much struggle for any individual or family to bear. The only way to get through a natural disaster is as a community with an enormous amount of external support.
But putting natural disasters and global pandemics aside; is there an optimal amount of struggle that maximizes an individual’s full potential? Or as Mark Manson puts it “what is the Goldilocks of pain & struggle”?
Too much pain & struggle causes overwhelm, helplessness and chronic stress.
Too little pain & struggle causes entitlement and selfishness.
But just the right amount of pain & struggle gives rise to pride, meaning and accomplishment.
Mental and emotional struggle is the same as physical exercise. You need to start slow and build up the amount of struggle over time. This way you train yourself and build up your resilience, so you can cope with more and more challenges and struggles.
“You have to enjoy the process not the result.” Simon Sinek
Like so many aspects of self-improvement, appreciation of hard work and struggle comes from self-awareness. The more self-aware you are the better you can cope with challenges and pain. Knowing your own limitations also helps you to know when enough is enough and to self-limit the pain and struggle you expose yourself to.
Taking on too much struggle can mean you are a “glutton for punishment” which will ultimately lead you to burn out and low self-esteem.
Thanks for reading,
Stay safe and keep your eyes on the prize.
David
