What Do You Really Wish You Had The Courage To Do?
“Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is a quiet voice at the end of the day saying, ‘I will try again tomorrow.’”
Showing up is the hardest part.
And this is why we rarely get traction with new habits or fall off the horse with existing goals.
The commitment to show up gets lost in the chaotic way that so many of us live our lives.
Let's use the habit of meditation as an example. In the same way, we can say with certainty that the earth is round, meditation reduces stress, helps you think more clearly and improves the quality of your life. The science is loud and clear.
It costs nothing to implement, yet so few of us do it.
But there is a cost when it comes down to your time. Where the hell are you going to find the time in your busy-ass schedule to sit in silence?
I've maintained a pretty damn regular ritual of daily meditation for the last couple of years. That's not to say I haven't gone long stretches without meditating. I have squirrel-like tendencies. I get wrapped up in projects, take on more than I can chew and forget how much meditation benefits me.
Before I know it, my thoughts are jumbled, my anxiety pulses like a marathon runner’s heartbeat and I start to feel overwhelmed by shit I could normally do in my sleep. Speaking of sleep, my Oura sleep-tracking ring points out that the quality of my sleep is declining faster than the remake of Aladdin.
How do you get back on the horse when you've fallen off an important habit or goal?
My partner Lindsey and sister Carly get a kick out of old sayings I use. That's to say I'm about to drop an absolute gem.
When you fall off your horse, get back on a pony.
Now I know what you're saying, what the hell is this guy talking about? Hear me out.
When you start a new habit or want to make progress on a goal, consistency trumps all else.
The thought of going from nothing to dedicating twenty minutes of daily meditation is too big a leap. I build myself back up by making it kindergarten-level simple. I sit in a chair and spend sixty seconds focusing on my breath.
These moments where you feel burnt out, overwhelmed or frustrated with a lack of progress are not a sign of failure unless you give up. When you give up and throw in the towel, you're telling yourself a story that shapes all your future goals and beliefs. "I give up when things get hard."
You might not be at Buddhist-level commitment to casting aside everything else in your life to focus on a new habit or reaching your goals, but you sure as hell can show up a minute at a time.
If you don't have a minute to spend meditating, exercising or reflecting, you might want to ask who the hell’s life are you living? It sure as heck isn't yours.
What do you really wish you had the courage to do?
Follow up: How can you take the first step in the next 5 minutes?
Don't leave this page without posting your first step in the comments below.
MAKE YOUR GOAL REAL.
