We’ve heard that comparison is the thief of joy and that we shouldn’t compare our lives to someone else’s highlight reels. We often have misguided expectations that life should be easy because we’re inundated with picture-perfect results. We want the returns without the investment and the results without the work. We are exposed to constant messaging that we can hack and shortcut our way to our desired outcomes. We must differentiate streamlining from shortcutting. Streamlining is consulting shared experiences, knowledge, and research as a guide to utilize our resources more efficiently and effectively. Shortcutting is seeking quick results without diligent hard work, which rarely leads to sustainable progress that can be built on.
Let’s be honest with ourselves and others about the effort and hard work required to pursue our calling and fulfill our purpose. By doing so, we can vulnerably acknowledge that the fulfilling stuff doesn’t come easily, but it’s worth the effort.
Embrace Difficulty, Doubt, and Drudgery
Life becomes more enjoyable when we accept that difficulty, doubt, and drudgery are part of the human experience. We can reframe these unpleasant experiences by giving them meaning. For instance, we can appreciate difficulties because they provide the opportunity to develop strength. Doubts allow us to display courage even when our outcome is uncertain. Drudgery creates the perfect arena to be diligent with the small things so we can be faithful in the big stuff. Shifting our mindset from self-pitying victim to grateful overcomer helps us experience a serene calmness amid the struggle of difficulty, doubt, and drudgery. We can do hard things, and those hard things can make us better.
Share Stumbles, Setbacks, and Successes
The previous idea is how we serve ourselves well. This next idea is how we serve others well. There’s a temptation to share our finished product, without giving credit to the work in the messy middle. When we share our successes with others we should also share the stumbles we navigated and the setbacks we overcame. The intentional practice of optimization makes the stuff that used to be hard our new baseline. It can be both inspiring and discouraging to look at someone several steps ahead and wonder if it’ll ever get easier. The answer is no, because hopefully we’ll always find a new challenge, and also yes, because consistent practice makes the hard stuff easier.
When people comment on the results they see of my fitness, nutrition, discipline, or anything else, I graciously accept the compliment, and when appropriate, do my best to also share the process that produced those results. I emphasize the effort that goes into my morning routines, meal prep, and exercise habits. Although these disciplines seem relatively “easy” to execute now, they weren’t easy in the beginning. It took me years to develop the discipline to complete my early morning routine consistently. Now I can’t imagine not doing it.
Fulfilling Accomplishments Require Effort
Gardening in the middle of the summer can be brutal. A cool breeze is a rare, but welcome occurrence. I can truly appreciate when a cool lake breeze comes over my back hill on hot, humid days. That refreshing breeze is always enjoyable, but I take it for granted during the milder spring and fall days. I’ve learned to embrace the sweltering days because they remind me to appreciate the cool lake breeze.
Embracing the difficult moments and sharing our burdens with others allows us to handle discomfort with grace and appreciate life’s cool breezes as they come. Let’s resolve to encourage others by trading our photoshopped success stories for authentic accounts of our journey. It may not be pretty, but it’s real. It permits us to find new ways to challenge ourselves. Succeeding at something easy doesn’t compare to the fulfillment we experience when we push through difficulties, doubts, and drudgeries with great effort to accomplish what was once impossible for us.
Lead versus Lag Indicators
Finally, how will we measure our progress? We must have lead and lag indicators. Lag indicators are typically what we call goals. These are the results we want, such as hitting a desired weight or revenue target. Lag indicators get all the attention, but lead indicators are where all the work happens. Lead indicators are the metrics we track to guide us to our goals. They are the behaviors that support reaching our goal. We may choose to measure our weekly zone 2 exercise minutes to support a healthy weight goal or how many sales calls we make to support a revenue target. Lag indicators inspire us to work toward a horizon, and lead indicators keep us focused on taking the next step. Let’s stay motivated to reach our big goals by tracking all the little wins along the way.
Do your lag indicators (Goals) have supporting lead indicators (Effort-Based Behaviors)?
Faith Encouragement:
- Roman 8:18 NIV – I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.
- Hebrews 12: 1-3 NIV – Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
