It is the time when people typically wish one another a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year. I thought I’d share with you a perspective that makes a distinction between luck and prosperity.
To me luck is a random happening. Yes sometimes you can get on a roll but at the same time you can have dry spells.
There is the saying “you make your own luck” speaks to being successful through your own efforts.
Prosperity to me is bigger than all of that. Yes there’s random happenings and you can create your own luck. Prosperity takes into account that there is something bigger in your life taking care of you and guiding you. And you can choose to work with it or not.
From my own personal experience I have found that that “something bigger” works with you better if you pull your own weight as it were. So in that spirit I’d like to hand it over to my friend and colleague, Dr. Thorin Gault, whose article I have borrowed. I feel it really captures the essence of what is our part in this prosperous relationship:
Do ‘HARD STUFF’ – Every Damn Day!
If there is one thing we have become addicted to as a Western society, it is COMFORT.
We are OBSESSED with COMFORT.
The paradox is that all of the CREATIVITY, INNOVATION, and ADVANCEMENTS that give us the opportunity for seemingly constant comfort come from people being UNCOMFORTABLE and doing the HARD STUFF.
SUCCESS never comes from COMFORT.
It comes from doing HARD STUFF.
Learning new things requires doing HARD, UNCOMFORTABLE things.
Getting out of bed early to exercise and create the body and fitness you want is HARD. At least harder than hitting the snooze button.
Building and growing a business is HARD. Harder than collecting a pay cheque.
Solving PROBLEMS is HARD. Harder than ignoring them.
Committing to a relationship is HARD. Harder than staying safely single.
Raising great kids is HARD. Harder than just looking after yourself.
Creating amazing art requires HARD WORK. Harder than consuming entertainment.
If I only TRAINED when I felt fantastic and inspired I wouldn’t have multiple international medals hanging on my wall. Training is HARD (and when it isn’t, I MAKE it hard).
Here comes the FUNNY part –
If you ask someone who is truly successful if what they do everyday is HARD, there is a good chance the answer will be ‘NO.’
Why is that?
Through consistent work, they have learned to be COMFORTABLE with DISCOMFORT.
They have learned to EMBRACE doing the HARD STUFF because they understand that the payoff is well WORTH it.
It is easy to think that we would all love to enjoy the lives of the RICH and successful.
In REALITY most of us wouldn’t last a WEEK in their shoes. It would be too HARD.
So, how can we use this idea of EMBRACING DISCOMFORT?
How can we train ourselves to do the HARD STUFF required for more success, achievement and fulfillment?
PRACTICE!!!
Do HARD STUFF – every damn day.
This is a great time of year to commit to some new habits that will lead to embracing DISCOMFORT.
Set your ALARM a bit earlier knowing that when you get up instead of sleep in you are building the HARD STUFF muscle.
Physically train yourself – HARD. Age is no excuse, we can all push our limits.
Learn a new skill. Music, art, building things.
Don’t just consume entertainment. STUDY something you don’t know much about.
Sit in a SAUNA and sweat!
End your shower with a few minutes of PURE COLD! This is one of my go-to HARD STUFF building muscle building exercises. If I can turn that dial all the way to COLD and relax into it for 3 minutes before my day even starts, I find it much easier to DO what NEEDS to be DONE the rest of the day.
Step outside your COMFORT ZONE socially. Talk to some new people. Give some compliments. Phone an old friend.
Do you want to make 2022 your best year?
Sounds a bit CRAZY but the way to do it is to…..
Do HARD STUFF – every damn day.
I wish all of you not only a prosperous New Year but one filled with health, love and magic!