Handling Hard Better Gets Easier
I recently saw a video called “Handle Hard Better” featuring Kara Lawson, head coach of the Duke Blue Devils women's basketball team. In it, Lawson tells her team that if you wait for things to get easy, if you tell yourself that you’ll do the hard things when you’ve graduated, when you’re promoted, when things slow down—you may never do them. Things rarely get “easy.”
[Kara's video] has a powerful message that rings with truth, and I strongly recommend that you watch it and think about how it applies to your own life and work.
It's a powerful video with a powerful message that rings with truth, and I strongly recommend that you watch it and think about how it applies to your own life and work.
The thing I’d like to add to Kara’s message is that we are remarkably resilient and adaptable creatures. We all faced challenges growing up, from taking off the training wheels to entering the next phase of our education to blazing our own trail in the professional world. And even though those things were difficult, even though we were often afraid and unsure, we did them, and every subsequent challenge was a bit easier.
Those are early milestones, but we’ve all “leveled up” so many times throughout our lives, and lived to tell the tale.
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The addendum I’d like to make to Kara’s exceptional message is that while we all must handle hard better, it’s also true that the more we do it, the easier it gets. Or maybe it just seems easier to us.
I promise you, you’re far stronger and more capable than you think. And whatever you think is impossible today, if you face it head-on, will seem like no big deal tomorrow. My point is that “hard” is relative, and our ability to take on the difficult stuff is like working a muscle: the more you do it, the easier hard gets.
“Hard” is relative, and our ability to take on the difficult stuff is like working a muscle: the more you do it, the easier hard gets.
Here is my challenge to you: I’d like you to think about all the difficult milestones in your life, and try to remember how you felt about them as they approached, and then how you felt as they passed. Then think about a challenge you’re facing today and ask how your future self will look back on it. How are those viewpoints different and why??
Senior Wealth Advisor at Journey Advisory Group
2 年Beautifully said, Shawn!
Retail Executive at Fifth Third Bank, Tennessee
2 年This speaks to me on many levels. I share the same thoughts about not waiting. Do it now!!
Vice President and Retail Regional Manager at Fifth Third Bank
2 年So true the more we do it the more endurance we develop, it's just a matter of surrounding yourself with people and activities that will help your journey through learning to "handle hard" easier. ????
Executive Assistant for Retail Line of Business and Director of Motorsports at Fifth Third Bank
2 年This is a great!
Well said, Shawn Niehaus! I loved the clip from her talk with her team - we get better at hard as we profess through things. You’re a shining example of that for so many of us. Thanks for reminding us to stop and think through how our future self will see our current “hard” situations!