What I do when I want to give up

I am struggling today. If you have ever struggled to consistently follow through on something you care about, perhaps my struggle will touch you as well...

Today I want to give up

But today? Well, today I am struggling. Today I don't feel like working. Today I don't feel like sticking to a routine. Today I don't feel like I have great ideas, and I don't feel like I have enough time to make the good ideas great. Today, I feel like I'm giving up.

Research from the University of Pennsylvania has shown that perseverance is the trait most strongly associated with success. I could use some grit today.

Here's what I try to remember when I feel like I need to give up...
Your mind is a suggestion machine
Think of every thought you have as a suggestion, not a command. At this moment, my mind is suggesting that I feel tired. It is suggesting that I give up. It is suggesting that I take an easier path.

However, if I pause for a moment, I can discover new suggestions. My mind also suggests to me that I will feel very good when I have done this work. It suggests to me that if I stick to the schedule, I will respect the identity I am building. It suggests to me that I have the ability to finish this task even if I don't feel like it.

Remember that none of these suggestions are orders. They are merely options. I have the power to choose which option I follow.

Discomfort is temporary

Judging by the amount of time you spend on a normal day or week, almost any habit you practice will be over quickly. Your workout will be over in an hour or two. Your report will be finished typing by tomorrow morning. This article will be finished in a few moments.

Life is easier today than ever before. 300 years ago, if you didn't kill your own food and build your own house, you had to die. Today, we whine about forgetting our iPhone charger.

Keep perspective. Your life is good and your discomfort is temporary. Embrace this moment of discomfort and let it strengthen you.

You will never regret good work when it is done

Theodore Roosevelt once said, "By far the best prize life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." So often it seems that we just want to work at a job that is worth doing. We want our work to be helpful and respected, but we don't want to struggle through it. We want to have a flat stomach and strong arms, but we don't want to torture ourselves through another workout. We want the end result, but not the failed attempts that precede it. We want the gold, but not the slog.

Anyone can want a gold medal. Few people want to train like an Olympian.

But despite our resistance to it, I never felt worse after the hard work. There were days when it was damn hard to start, but it was always worth it to finish. Sometimes the mere act of showing up and having the courage to get the job done, even if it's just average, is a victory worth celebrating.

Life is like that

Life is a constant balancing act between the ease of distraction and overcoming the pain of discipline. It is no exaggeration to say that our lives and identities are determined by this delicate balance. What is life if not the sum of a hundred thousand daily struggles and tiny decisions to either stick it out or give it up?

That moment when you don't feel like doing the work? It's not a moment you throw away. It is not a dress rehearsal. This moment is your life, just like any other moment. Spend it in a way that makes you proud.

A piece of better advice by icehrm.com. If you ever want to manage your business throughout your professional journey try icehrm.com, the promising HR digital platform.