Stretch

Have you ever pushed a deadline back until you reach a point of no return. If you don’t do it NOW you’re going to miss it. All of a sudden you work with an intensity and focus you haven’t put in prior. Or maybe you had an awfully challenging week at work where everything that could go wrong went wrong but you somehow got the job done. You not only kept your head above water but thrived under the challenge. Or maybe you did something physical – a hike, a run, lifted a weight and you don’t think you can finish but you manage to get there in the end. It’s the challenge, the obstacles, the difficulties faced that show us not only who we are but who we could be. A hint of the powers we have when our backs are against the wall. It’s easy to try and avoid challenge and hardship. Why try if you’re going to fail right? Why take on the challenging job or the race? What’s the point? Don’t but your head above the parapet. Fly under the radar. Don’t push yourself. The bad days you face on the road are the days that make you better. The times you’ve got to face adversity or put in the extra time and effort. The times when you’re not sure if you’re going to get it done. Keep going. Don’t give up. Don’t give up on yourself. The hard times build confidence, build skills, build knowledge, build self-belief, build resilience, build grit. Don’t avoid the tough things in life. Going through challenges and making it out the other end shows you that you’re not made of glass. You can keep going. You’re better than you ever realise. But the only way you get to see glimpses of the person you’re capable of is by stretching yourself. Dive in to the deep end and savour the process – the challenge – the failure – the wins – the lessons – the results. Keep going.