Doing Hard Things Makes You Stronger

I read this funny little paragraph by Kierkegaard, which was written around 1840, and he said that he wasn't one of these people who were capable of inventing something wonderful to make life easier for everyone, as so many people did during the industrial revolution.

He said, "Well, maybe I'm one of these people." is what they want you to think. Well, I want an easy, happy life. It's like, "No, actually, that isn't what you want." They want an optimal challenge. One of the mysteries is why that sensation exists.

It's not a trivial thing, though, to say I did something difficult and that was worthwhile. But basically, what you're saying to yourself is, "Well, there was a lot of suffering associated with that, as well as the general suffering of life, but it turned out to be worth it." That's exactly what you want.

It's like you want that sense that you're engaged in something worthwhile. It's constraints It's having restrictions, it's having difficult times.

So as you go into this untamed wilderness, as you venture into this territory, those are the things that allow people to find and tap into the thing that will allow them to achieve what they want to achieve because it will push you, and I know that's never fun, that's not what anyone wants to hear, but the reality is that if you want to achieve something great in your life, you've got to go into the hard places, face down the difficult things.

Go with the chip on your shoulder, go knowing that you're going to have to stand up for yourself and you're going to have to fight for what you believe. Go with the knowledge that you must improve your strength. If you go now, failure is guaranteed.

I gained confidence as I went to work and put on my suit and tie every day, going to war with myself. I go into suffering every day, and that has become my new norm. I gave myself no way out. No one finds himself without going through suffering. Find your purpose, and then you'll find the courage to start that journey.

You are creating your own production. You are the star of your show. You are the director. You are writing the script. You will determine whether your life is a smashing success at the box office or a flop. If you want something out of life, if there's some goal that you want to achieve, live your dream.

Change your behaviour and overcome negative habits. It's challenging, it's hard. You will never have a problem-free moment in life, so what will it take for me to get some of the things that I want? For starters, you must improve yourself. You must engage in an ongoing process to develop yourself.