Why I Choose To Have Surgery

Hey champ,

I had a pretty major (and pretty cool) nose operation last month. I won’t go into too much detail, because the gore factor is high, but basically, the doctors took cartilage from my right ear and used it to re-shape my nose. Amazing, huh?!

It all went well, and I’m stoked to report that I can breathe through my nostrils for the first time in 5 years!

I didn’t *need* to have this surgery.

I chose to have it. Why? Well, because I wanted to breathe through my nose again. But on a wider level, I believe life is all about continual improvement, and my body’s strength, health and function are things I want to keep improving.

And you can’t improve without doing the work.

In this case, “doing the work” means accepting that I’m going to be in a bit of pain, recognising that I’m not going to be able to do the things I enjoy for a while (running/surfing/being active), taking time off from work and other projects, and trusting the process.

That last part is important.

When it comes to surgery like this, I can never be 100% sure what the end result will be.

(In this case, I’m stoked that my ear doesn't look “totally disfigured” as my doctor warned - he’s nothing if not blunt! ).

But isn’t that kind of the same with most things we try to improve?

Not the disfigured ear, haha, the fact that we can never be 100% certain how things will turn out. That’s true whether you’re starting a new business, moving overseas, starting a weight loss regime or training for an Ironman.

But here’s what I do know:

Putting in the work always pays off. Always.

You’ve just gotta do the work, and trust the process.

So often, I meet people who tell me they tried to lose weight or grow their business but gave up after a month because they weren’t seeing results.

Sorry, but it doesn’t work that way.

If you want results, you need to put in the work. Consistently. Day in, and day out.

That’s what being gritty is. It’s sticking with your future, day in and day out, not just for a day or a week, but for months (and sometimes even years), and doing the work to make that future a reality.

It’s not glamorous, it’s not quick.

But it works. It’s the only thing that really does.

So, if you’ve been waiting for a sign or looking for a wake-up call, this is it.

If you really want to improve something in your life, if you want to see results, you’ve gotta do the work and you’ve gotta trust the process.  - Tweet it!

That’s my message for you this week. 

Now, I wanna hear from you. What are you working on? Let me know in the comments over on the blog.

Next week, I’m gonna share a tip for keeping the faith and staying committed, even when you’re not seeing progress.

Turia xx

Turia Pitt is a mindset coach, international keynote speaker, humanitarian and athlete. She is the author of ‘Unmasked’, ‘Everything to Live For’, ‘Mindset Magic’ and ‘Good Selfie’. Follow Turia on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, or subscribe to her weekly newsletter here.