When we want to get better at something, want to improve a weakness in our training, our diet, in our life, when we want to see results, sometimes we have to do what sucks!
It’s a motto, a mindset, a whole mood.
It sounds crazy, right? Why would someone voluntarily do something that sucks? Hang on, hear me out…
If there’s something we’re not good at, something we don’t like to do, or something we really want to get better at – we have to show up for it, face it and do something about it. We have to commit to putting in the work, commit to making a concerted effort to get better at it, or it will always continue to suck.
While some things in life really do just suck (hello, taxes!), sometimes things suck because they’re difficult for us or they’re boring or they’re outside our comfort zone or they’re just plain hard. (That’s ok, we can and we DO hard things!)
The bottom line is, the harder we work, the more effort we put into whatever this thing is… the less it sucks. The ONLY way to get better at something, to make it suck less, is by working on it, by practicing day in and day out. Little by little, day by day… it gets easier, we get stronger, it sucks a little less, it’s not as difficult for us.
Let’s put this into a real, life tangible situation.
For me, it’s running.
Sometimes, I forget how hard running is for me. I have never consistently run. I don’t particularly enjoy running, and if I’m being honest, I kind of think it sucks. (To be fair, it’s not entirely running’s fault!)
I used to say “I suck at running“, but the truth is, I don’t practice running. I don’t spend the time getting better at it. I don’t prioritize making it suck less. I suck at running because I don’t run. So, on the occasion when I do run, like when someone is chasing me or it’s programmed in a CrossFit workout (do you see the look of suffering?) or when I confuse the words “yes” and “no” and agree to run with friends… IT SUCKS!
Real talk,
if I really wanted to get better at running, I would have to actually RUN. So instead of saying “I suck at running” or “running sucks”, I remind myself that in fact, I do not practice running, nor do I run and that is why “it sucks”.
In my life, showing up and doing hard things, the things that suck, the things that are boring or mundane or seem unnecessary, I do them because they make me feel strong and empowered. Doing things that suck and seeing the improvements reminds me I can do hard things. I can show up for myself, and when I can show up for myself and follow through with my commitments to myself, it makes me feel like I’m a little bit better today than I was the day before.
The bottom line…
instead of looking at something as sucking, maybe we can look at it as something we have A LOT of room for improvement on, room for growth.
Once we start working on it, chipping away, practicing a little bit every day… it starts to suck less. The activity is no different from when we started and thought it sucked, we’re just a little stronger, a little more prepared, a little more resilient.
Once we’ve practiced many, many, many times, we’ve put in the work, we’ve put in the hours, and it doesn’t actually suck anymore …. WE ARE SO PROUD – as we should be! (heck-freaking-yes!) We put in the work, we really freaking did it. We practiced, we put in the time, consistency, and patience, and we can see the progress! Making a commitment and sticking with it brings about amazing changes.
So here’s a challenge for all of us:
- Pick ONE thing that sucks, and make a commitment to work on it
- Work on it for the next week, maybe two, heck- work on it for a month!
- See what happens after really working at it (and be honest – if we don’t put in the work, we cannot expect the results!)
Once it starts to suck less, try it with something else. The possibilities are endless!
It might suck in the beginning, but I PROMISE it does get better, or… maybe we just get better. Either way, keep doing what sucks, friends. It’s the only way to make it suck less.
What are you committing to work on? I’d love to know! 💛
Send an email, send a DM on facebook or instagram. Let’s share our commitments to ourselves with others and help hold each other accountable. Imagine how far we can go!
We’ve got this. We’ve made it through every single obstacle that has come our way so far.
Keep going,
Jess