Struggle

Struggle is a normal part of existence. The only way of avoiding struggle is by never trying to do anything new, not learning, not growing, or not caring about your future. In order to have a rewarding life, you will have to deal with struggle.
Struggle has a destructive impact only when it causes you to give up. Throughout history, no one ever accomplished anything without experiencing some type of struggle. As much as we would all like to experience instant success, it rarely, if ever happens.
You do yourself a disservice when you seek the path of least resistance in response to struggle. Easy routes do not lead to satisfying rewards. Therefore, struggle is not something to be avoided but an indication you are on track to something worthwhile.
Unless you understand the significance of struggle, you may become frustrated. Frustration leads to discouragement, which can cause you to abandon goals. Think of struggle as a test to see how badly you really want to reach your destination. People who don’t have a strong enough desire will give up.
Time is a component of struggle. When results take longer than expected, you become impatient. Impatience is an intrinsic human tendency. When you can’t reach your goal fast enough, you feel you are struggling. If you succeeded at the first attempt, there would be no struggle.
Uncertainty is another part of struggle. If you could be guaranteed of success, then you wouldn’t feel as if you were struggling. Problems arise because you don’t have a guarantee that your efforts will ultimately pay off. Uncertainty contributes to your stress.
Expectation is yet one more component. We all have a picture in our minds of how things should go. When events don’t go as expected, you feel you are struggling. There is nothing wrong with having expectations. However, if a situation doesn’t evolve as expected, you shouldn’t become disillusioned.
Setbacks contribute to a struggle. You are making great progress. Then, unexpectedly, and without warning, you stumble and fall. It can be such a struggle to get back up. Setbacks are part of achievement. Their occurrence doesn’t indicate failure. Setbacks denote progress.
Inasmuch as struggle is normal, it can be very draining. You want to take steps to keep yourself going, especially when you feel exhausted. Struggle needs to be dealt with proactively. Don’t just ignore it with the hope it will go away.
Through struggle you become stronger. Learning and growth occur in response to struggle. An infant struggles with learning how to walk before she takes her first steps. A student spends many hours studying in the struggle to gain knowledge. An athlete devotes himself to endless practice, struggling to become better.
Here are some steps you can take to avoid becoming overwhelmed by your struggle. First and foremost is never give up. When you give up, you guarantee you will never reach your destination. When the going gets tough, get tougher. Redouble your resolve to succeed.
Determination is the fuel that will keep you moving forward. You can’t get through a struggle without it. Stay focused on your goal. When you reach it, all of your struggling will have paid off.
Constantly stoke the fire of your desire. Visualize success and how good it will feel. You can accomplish whatever you set your mind to. If you trip and fall, get right back up. Don’t stop. Use any setbacks as stepping stones.
Everyone struggles. Those who succeed aren’t special, they just have determination. They never, ever, give up. When you are struggling, you’re on the road to success. Just smile and keep going.