As I was sitting in front of my computer, pondering what message I wanted to convey to you all today, I was struck by the realization that what I want to tell you is not nearly as important as what you all need to hear. Quincy, you say, what is it that I need to hear? Well, dear friend, I will tell you what you need to hear. You need to hear what most all human beings on this green earth need to hear, the truth.
I’ve lived my life thus far in such a way that from the outside looking in, things may seem easy. I went to a good school, I was successful enough in my soccer career that I was able to land a spot on a professional soccer team, hell, I’ve never even had to go to a job interview before. Those things listed by themselves, my life seems pretty easy. Well, I am here to tell you my truth and the universal truth. However things may appear from the outside, life is hard.
Now, believe me, I am not here to whine about the difficulties I face in my every day life, because I am aware that there are many others in the world who face difficulties much greater than I do. What I am here to do is to point out a reality that exists for all, but that many choose to ignore, especially when taking part in the world’s most awful pastime: comparison. Life is hard.
Hard comes in varying levels for various people, but struggle is not limited to one region or group of people. You never really know the struggle that any person is facing or has faced to be where they are now. Whether that struggle is financial, emotional, spiritual, or mental, this world has a way of throwing a wrench in to the lives of well-meaning people, who simply want to walk along the path of progress. For some, hard is a constant; a sad and turbulent song that seems to be on repeat. When one tough situation is struggled through and finally overcome, another one crops up to replace it.
Hard may be a small, niggling obstacle. A doubt or a worry that, on its face, doesn’t seem like a very big deal, but that effectively and over time, is as destructive as a tornado. Hard may disguise itself. It may be a situation that, from the outside, seems worthwhile or beneficial, but eventually proves itself to be painful and difficult. Hard can be family, it can be friends, it can be career, it can be money. Hard has so many different permutations, it can really present itself in almost any form.
Now, dear friend, I want to share another truth with you: hard can be defeated.
To paraphrase a famous saying, when you’re going through a hard time, keep going. The most important thing to remember about struggle is that it can be overcome. No matter what obstacles you may face, big or small, there is always a way to handle it. Sometimes all that is required is a little creative thinking. Other times, when an obstacle is so large that it seems beyond your control, a change in perspective makes all the difference. No matter what, the key is to keep pushing forward, fighting the hard, and working toward your ultimate goal, whatever it may be. Life is hard, but you can go harder.
2 comments
I’ve always thought, “Wow she’s so lucky. She has money, a great relationship, and a great career.” Thinking about this constantly can really put a person down, especially when you’re overthinking the reasons why you are not as successful as that person.
I wasn’t really lucky. I wasn’t born to a high class family, both of my parents never went to college, and I never thought I would be able to get the right education, because my parents would keep getting laid off from their jobs.
But as I grew in what I love to do and in my life and by meeting a lot of successful people, it occurred to me that so many people that I met had very little just like me, but ended up taking certain actions to become successful.
As I thought about my own journey; if I would ever become successful. I’ve realized that we all have a chance in this world to be “lucky” by working hard, surround yourself with positive people, be grateful for what you have, and believe in yourself.
Thanks for sharing Amanda. Sometimes we can easily attribute another persons success to “luck” but in almost all cases luck is created though persistence. And persistence is intentional.