HARD WORK

I define 'hard work' as consistently doing what challenges you. As such, the quality is subject to individuality; what poses a challenge for one person may not for another. There is no absolute standard for a challenge that applies to everyone, though there are common themes. Some clarification is in order here, because while a game of chess is 'challenging,' it is not hard work. The challenge I refer to is that which forces an individual to push through when he would rather quit and one that makes him question his motives for undertaking the endeavor in the first place. This type of challenge is that which places significant physical and mental stress on the individual. These challenges come large and small, and will always originate from within. External stimuli trigger self-imposed stressors within an individual, causing that person to react in a self-defensive manner. Because these stressors are of our own design, they can be trained, tailored or eliminated entirely. The manipulation of subconscious behavioral patterns is a difficult and demanding mental process, one which requires the mastery of perhaps the most difficult mental challenge of all: exerting one's will over one's self. This ability is not innate, nor is it developed overnight. Experience is key here; experience full of hard work, self-criticism and exhaustive mental effort. Extreme challenges of a physical nature are substantially more difficult than those of a mental one, to the point where there is virtually no comparison. No one likes devoting a large portion of their time studying for a test on a subject they don't care about, but all it takes is a little discipline and mental focus and the job gets done. This is because our bodies are not stressed during this "challenge," and a bad test score as penalty for failure is hardly a motivational impetus. Contrast this with the challenge of moving a long distance over rough terrain with a heavy pack in extreme weather when you are completely exhausted, out of food, water and at the limits. Make death the penalty for failure and you have an unimaginably stressful challenge on your hands, one where working hard is not optional. Experience doing optional hard work however, is the key to being successful in such a situation.

When examining the feats of truly accomplished individuals, you will see many variables leading to their success. Right place or right time, good genetics or natural talent, opportunities seized or chances taken. The only common factor you will find between all of them is the willingness to work hard. The individual with the most potential is the one who refuses to quit because he's tired, or because he thinks he's done enough. He takes advantage, but does not take for granted. He makes the most of every experience, triumph or failure. He turns them into fuel to spur forward progress and continues to strive relentlessly toward perfection, refusing to settle for less. With a singularity of mind and purpose, he is willing to sacrifice as necessary in order to advance, understanding that he is in it for the long haul. He finds reasons to succeed instead of excuses to fail. This attitude blossoms conviction, and conviction is unstoppable. Pure conviction is next to extinct these days, but it is obvious when one comes across it. When confronted by conviction, most people will become confused and defensive. This is because true conviction makes people nervous. Understanding is lacking, and people are often quick to rationalize away the hard work and effort of the driven individual in a lame attempt to make their own aimless lives look better. Devoid of direction and unwilling to commit to the hard work it would take to pursue potential lofty goals and dreams, they settle for less and rapidly stagnate. This is no way to be, and a very unfulfilling way to go about life. For true and meaningful accomplishment, hard work is a necessity that cannot be avoided.

Hard work is a quality that is becoming increasingly rare, which is not all that surprising when you consider how it is developed. Hard work is a quality that is learned, whether through teachings; a parent's lesson and example, or by experience; down and dirty. In today's society, diligence is valued--one must be productive--but true hard work is to be avoided at all costs. This is because hard work hurts, and places stress on the mind and body. This trend is beyond self-evident, and has gotten far out of control. As I write this, I am sitting at an airport, observing. As a grown man walks by me rolling a whopping ten pound suitcase and munching on McDonald's, I wonder how he expects anyone to take him seriously. I watch an overweight couple cruise by in a handicap transport cart, as if their diet and lifestyle deserve them a sympathetic free ride. God forbid they burn a few calories walking to their gate; that might require them to do 'hard work.' In disbelief I watch on as dozens and dozens of people avoid an expansive staircase like the plague and instead opt to get in line for the cramped escalators on either side of this spacious staircase. Sometimes I wonder if there is any hope for our society at all. This attitude and trend of excessive leisure is poison, and mark my words when I tell you that the quick and easy shortcut will NOT take you the distance. To master great things one must first master the simple things; discipline in one's daily life is as essential as breathing. The magnitude of one's success in any meaningful endeavor is directly related to the passion and effort with which it is pursued. To put it more bluntly, you get out of life what you put into it. Any reward gained from accomplishment attained without sacrifice is necessarily brief and shallow. Instant gratification is just as it says, and lasts for just as long. The word "gratification" is deceptive in that sense, as it certainly does not leave you satisfied. A better word for "instant" might also be "meaningless." When you discipline yourself to do what is hard, you gain access to a realm of results that are denied everyone else. The reward lasts much longer and is far more fulfilling.

Hard work is the result of discipline, conviction and the full application of the heart. Total focus and intensity are assumed. If you are just putting the time in or simply going through the motions, you are not working hard. Hard work is infinite; it is a life-long journey instead of a goal. If you persistently work hard at something, you will inevitably become better at it. At some point what was once hard will become manageable or even easy. At this time one must increase resistance, repetitions, distance or whatever in order to again make the work hard to inspire meaningful improvement. With respect to the pursuit of athletic excellence, overtraining and injury are common in the super-motivated individual, as he struggles to balance his intensity with the physiological limitations of the human body. It is paramount to note here that the commonly perceived human limitations are terribly inaccurate and grossly underestimated. The body can do ten times more work than the mind thinks it can, and only through an aggressive mindset and hardcore training and experience can this powerful potential be tapped into. It all starts by working hard. In the end, a lifetime of shortcuts, quick fixes and half-hearted efforts will leave one sorely disappointed. In order for success to be realized and goals to be accomplished, hard work is a necessity, and its importance cannot be overstated.

DIRECTION

Where are you going? What are you working towards? What is your ultimate goal, and what are you doing right now to achieve it?

Billions of people around the world wake up every day, exist, then return to sleep expecting to repeat the same process thousands of times before they die. An alarmingly small number of them will die fulfilled and satisfied with the way in which they approached that process. Modern American society teaches that one must conform to the group and follow the status quo. This brainwashing leads to millions of young people essentially living the same childhood, developing the same way and following the same beaten path in life--the path of least resistance. This resistance is the favored response to eccentricity; anyone who behaves or believes differently from the majority is viewed as either lesser or misinformed. Anyone with half a brain and a half-cup of maturity agrees this is not true. The sad part is that this attitude is still prevalent in the subconscious of most Americans, regardless of their superficial response to the question of discrimination. All of this adds up to a country full of unsatisfied individuals. The path of least resistance, however, is nothing more than a path. It is one of many paths available to us in our lives--it just so happens that this particular one is favored by the majority. As such there is nothing inherently wrong with it other than it may be misleading for many people. What one person wants, another may not. What fulfills one individual may leave something to be desired for another. To claim the majority path as the correct and fulfilling option for everyone is bullshit.

When all is said and done, courage is what defines our lives. The courage I speak of is that which inspires us to discover what we truly want most out of life and commit ourselves to it fully at the expense of all else. This is the recipe for a successful life--not a social status or bottomless bank account. When you are lying on your deathbed in the universal blink of an eye, will you go out with a grin, satisfied and fulfilled? Or will you lament with regret what could have been, should have been? Life is a precious gift full of opportunity. It is what we make it. It also only comes once. Do NOT let it go to waste. It is imperative that you figure out what YOU want most out of life (not what others want for you) and discover a goal or lifestyle that will bring you true fulfillment. This self-discovery, if not already established, must be undertaken immediately. The past cannot be changed and the future may never come. Talk is fantastic, and pleasing to the ears, but it accomplishes nothing. Talk minus action = zero. The time to act is the present; now. When we die, our actions and accomplishments are all we will have. Emerson said it best; "What you do speaks so loud that I cannot hear what you say." Stop talking. Start doing.

If you have not done something lately that instilled a sense of mountain-moving pride, I suggest you reevaluate your current path in life and examine why it is leaving you unfulfilled. DO NOT conclude that things already set in motion are fixed and cannot be changed. That is the attitude of laziness and naivety; a cop-out reserved for those unwilling to branch away from the path of least resistance. Change is a result of clarity combined with conviction and decisiveness. If you are lacking these qualities, I strongly urge you to drop what you are doing and pursue them ruthlessly to conclusion. Absolutely nothing is more important.

"Some people follow their dreams. Others hunt them down and beat them mercilessly into submission."

Disclaimer

How rude of me to jump right into the thick of it without a proper introduction. Several times already I have been asked why I'm writing this page. I guess the blog summary titled "Awareness" is not sufficiently descriptive. I hope to accomplish two goals here: first to provide insight into what its like to be an endurance athlete, and second to promote understanding with the type of person I am and why I am this way. I will address the first goal by using this page partially as a log containing descriptive accounts of my races and endeavors. I plan to address the second goal by speaking my mind on topics that are important to me. I will warn you that this page is not here for your entertainment. It is as much for my benefit as anyone else's; an outlet to record my thoughts--to have something permanent to draw from in order not to have to entrust them to the unreliability of memory. It is for those who know of me to gain understanding and hopefully learn a thing or two. What I write here is not open for discussion. This is the way it is; the way I am. I will not reply to any comments posted here, and if I feel they take away from what I am trying to do with this page I will promptly remove the commenting feature. This is not to say I don't value your opinion. Quite the contrary. If you have something poignant to say I absolutely want to hear it. A closed mind is a small one, and as opinionated and as obstinate as I may appear, I want every side of the story and as many informative perspectives as possible before I come to any conclusion, regardless of the subject. Do not mistake my tone; simply because I am writing of things that may come across as harsh does not mean I am angry or out to put anyone down. Do not take this page personally; that's my job.

I will be the first to admit that I subscribe to elitism. This is the result of a lifestyle and an outlook on life that leaves no room for compromise. I believe that those who work hard should be valued over those who do not. I believe that those who take care of their health and put forth a sincere effort to better themselves should be valued over those who merely coast through life and settle for less. I believe that those who are productive and take the initiative should be valued over those who take advantage of that productivity and catch a free ride. In my eyes, the status or position you hold does not define how accomplished you are. Instead, the amount of challenging work and sacrifice you have endured determines the magnitude of your accomplishment. Make no mistake about it--the black belt is elite, the white belt is not. Being handed a black belt before your first day of training is obviously not an accomplishment. It is not my intention to offend anyone, and if you find your feelings being hurt as a result of what or how I am then that is your problem, not mine--you may want to address the insecurities that your defensiveness stems from.

I am also fully aware that perspective changes according to your seating arrangement. What one person may value another may not. Very few people understand my perspective, and far, far less can claim that they share it. I do not expect you to take what I say as law; an infallible author is a liar and a fraud. With these things in mind I again ask that you read this page with an open mind. Anything I state as fact I believe to be self-evident. If there is the potential for any confusion you can rest assured I will extensively clarify. Welcome to my blog.

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