How often do you hear someone say, “But it’s hard.”? Do you find yourself using this excuse for not trying something, for not helping someone, for not moving ahead toward your dreams, for not bettering your position in life? Do you neglect your writing project because it is “hard” to find time for it, because it is “hard” to work in cramped quarters, because it is “hard” to think of something to write about, because it is “hard” to approach publishers/magazine editors?
Life can be hard. Relationships are hard. (Have you noticed how many people give up and divorce today?) Just about anything worthwhile in life have aspects that are hard to overcome, deal with, approach, carryout and/or endure. So what? This should not be a reason for us to quit.
Sure there are reasons to quit something or walk away from a situation. But the fact that it is hard (takes us outside our comfort zone, is embarrassing, makes us anxious) should not be among them.
When is the last time you made yourself work through a difficult, but worthwhile project or task? How did it make you feel?
The next time you are faced with a tough task or intimidating project that you really don’t want to do, ask yourself, why am I resisting this? Listen to the answer that comes into your mind. When you think about tackling the project or task, how do you feel—pay particular attention to your gut. Now think about the benefits (if any) of following through with the project, task, invitation or ? What sort of feeling does that thought generate? Perhaps this thought will convince you to work through the fears and resistance you’ve created in your mind.
There are many, many things in life that require hard work. Writers and authors face situations outside their comfort zones every day. It’s not easy to establish a freelance writing career, to sell an article to a major magazine, to write a book, to find a publisher for your book, to self-publish a book, to market a book. It’s all hard.
But is it truly too hard to even try? I guess you’ll have to ask yourself that question.
A lot of things are hard in life, but most of us do them anyway. The next time you are faced with a blank screen when you’re supposed to be writing an article, you don’t feel like working on your book or you’re afraid you’re going to be shot down if you approach a bookseller or book reviewer, don’t give up. Don’t use the excuse that, “it is hard.” Think about your ultimate goal, the commitments you’ve made and your reason for wanting to pursue this task in the first place and see if you can move beyond “hard.”