Choose Your Hard

I know as a business owner in the construction industry, I have felt every emotion on the emotional roller coaster of owning a business in this industry. Everything from elation and excitement - that fist pumping HELL YEAH! - down to the bowels of frustration and fret, where your head is hung so low you feel like you'll never see the light of day again. The uncertainty, the grind of long hours, and the frustration of dealing with never-ending challenges. From juggling cash flow issues to managing a team spread across different job sites, it often feels like you’re carrying the world on your shoulders. The unfortunate truth is, I know I'm not alone in this experience. I'd be so bold as to say every successful construction business started in exactly the same place—struggling, hustling, and often wondering if they’d ever make it.

Let’s face it, life is hard, especially in this industry. And here’s the thing—hard is inevitable. Whether you’re battling for survival or reaching for that next level of success, there’s no escaping the difficulty. What matters is the hard you choose.

Choose Your Hard

Being in business is tough. No one gets a free pass. The pressure to find and hire good people, keep projects moving, manage costs, maintain quality, and keep clients happy is real. You could sit back, watch the storm roll in, and hope for the best. Or, you could make a decision, embrace the hard and take control of your path.

It’s not about avoiding challenges, it’s about choosing which hard you want to tackle. Do you live by default where you struggle with the problems that come from staying small and reactive, always just getting by? Choosing what's easy now for what's hard later? Or do you want to live by choice, choosing the hard that comes with going bigger, levelling up, and scaling your business? Choosing what's hard now for what is easy later? Because let’s be honest, both paths are tough, and only one offers the potential for real growth.

Why 10x is Easier Than 2x

I read a book recently (which I recommend you read too) by Dr. Benjamin Hardy and Dan Sullivan called 10X is Easier Than 2X. Here’s the powerful idea to consider - it's right in the title, 10x growth is easier than 2x. It sounds counterintuitive, I know. However, think about it this way, when you aim for small, incremental gains, you’re just tinkering at the edges, working a little harder without changing much. I don't know about you, but the thought of it leaves me feeling like I'm stuck in a straight jacket, fighting to bust loose. You’re still fighting the same fires, just with a little more water. However, when you go for a 10x jump, you’re forced to think bigger, rethink your systems, and act boldly. You don't have time, space or energy to be muddling around with the minutiae, you have to be focusing all of it on the bigger picture, solving bigger problems.

That leap requires a new mindset and new strategies, and it also opens the door to bigger opportunities. Instead of solving the same small problems over and over, you focus on transformation. You build better systems, attract stronger teams, and secure larger projects. The "hard" doesn’t go away, it's just different and the payoff is exponential.

Every Success Story Starts Here

Every established construction business that you look up to went through this phase. They all faced the same tough decisions, the same sleepless nights, and the same doubts. And what set them apart was their decision to keep pushing, to choose the hard that led to growth.

You’re at that same crossroads now. It’s tough, and you’re not alone. You have the same opportunity to choose which hard you’ll face. Will you choose the one that keeps you spinning your wheels, or will you take on the challenge of building something bigger and stronger?

Go All In

At the end of the day, success in this industry—like any industry—comes down to one decision: to go all in. Commit to the hard path of growth. Invest in the tools, processes, and people that will allow your business to expand. The journey won’t be easy, however, it will be worth it.

What does "all in" look like, you ask? It means committing to the outcome like there are no other options. It's means making the decision once and keep moving in the direction doing the things that need to get done because you already decided you were going to do them, even when it gets hard. It means burning the boats. No plan B. It also means pivoting when necessary and being open to growing as you go. If something isn't working, be open to changing, ultimately keeping the big picture in mind.

If you feel like you’re struggling, remember: this is where all the greats started. You’re in good company. The key is to not settle. Choose the hard that gets you closer to your vision. Go for 10x, not 2x. And know that while the climb is steep, from my experience, the view from the top is always worth it.

You're Not Alone

So if today feels especially tough, remember - this is part of the process. Every major success in the construction industry was built on the back of hard times. You’re not alone in this, and the hard work you’re putting in now is the foundation for something bigger. Keep going, keep growing, and choose the hard that leads to greatness. And ask for help along the way. Just because you are choosing hard, does not mean you have to make it any harder than it already is or that you have to do it all on your own. Look for coaches and mentors who have done what you want to do, and learn from them; find a community of people working toward the same goals and grow with them. There is a lot of opportunity out there for support, just ask.

With this message, I hope you find some reassurance. Your challenges aren’t a sign of failure or that what you want to build can't be done, they’re proof that you’re building something worthwhile. And when you commit to embracing that challenge, taking action toward doing hard things, amazing things can happen.

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