Cultivating Bravery Some of, if not most of, the very best and most meaningful accomplishments in this life lie on the other side of at least a little difficulty and discomfort. Whether it is knowledge or a skill that we are looking to attain, be it a physical change in our bodies, or better relationships with others, nearly everything of note that we can personally accomplish will require us to confront and make our way through some form of difficulty and discomfort. These meaningful accomplishments are the very best reasons I know of to develop within ourselves the personal capacity to confront difficulty and discomfort. Too often, we can find ourselves shying away from the things that we find difficult. While it is certainly understandable and fairly commonplace, left unchecked that tendency to avoid difficulty and discomfort can keep us from experiencing some of the best things that life has to offer. Furthermore, whenever we look at a difficulty and choose not to confront it, we are essentially operating from the point of view that the difficulty is too large for us to surmount. When we make decisions and act from that point of view, we end up minimizing our personal capacities. That resignation in the face of difficulty curtails progress and often leaves us feeling smaller than the events around us. More importantly, acting like we are smaller than the difficulties that we encounter along the way is simply untrue. Acting as if we are too small is participating in a falsehood that robs us of our strength. Individually, and collectively, we are far more capable than we often give ourselves credit for being. Henry Ford was quoted as saying, One of the greatest discoveries a man makes, one of his great surprises, is to find he can do what he was afraid he couldnt do. Understanding and coming to believe that we can do it is the first step, after that the question often becomes how to do it. Learning and practicing effective strategies for confronting difficulty is a big part of training students to develop their own martial mindset here at AMMA, but there are a few simple steps that everyone can put into play in order to move through personal difficulty. First step, we have to recognize when we are avoiding something difficult. Our next step is to look at the difficulty and determine what we can confront about it. Break the overall difficulty down into component parts and find steps that are achievable. Third step, do something about it, take a step. It doesnt have to be big. We just have to start taking steps toward what we want. Nothing begets success like success. Once we start to win, even a little bit, we gain traction and further movement becomes easier. If you seem to be stuck, always remember that it is ok, and often advisable, to ask for help. Whenever we cannot seem to find the first step, the first step is to ask for help. Collectively, we can do far more than we can individually, and making use of the resources available to us is one of the smartest things that we can do as individuals. Finally, practice confronting difficulty whenever possible. Do it on the little things. Cultivate the capacity to move towards what you want, regardless of the perceived difficulty. With a little practice (really, before you know it) you will find that difficulty is not so difficult after all. So next time you experience some form of challenge or difficulty, remember that a comfortable life is not one without difficulty, but rather one where you meet your challenges comfortably. ~ Christopher Boyer
Posted on: Wed, 19 Mar 2014 21:19:46 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015