When we think of strength, we often think of body builders, athletes and gym rats. If we go a little deeper, maybe we can associate strength with fortitude, or the ability to endure suffering. We might even think of strength as a show of force, being stoic, or unwavering.
Farnam Street had a good definition of strength in their weekly blog:
“Strength isn’t measured by victories, but by the caliber of challenges you’re willing to face.”
This doesn’t just apply to physical challenges. The mental challenges can be more difficult than the physical ones.
Sitting in our comfort zone makes us mentally lazy. We get complacent and don’t want to exert ourselves mentally. When difficulties arise, we find ourselves unable to deal with them because we haven’t strengthened our resolve. We don’t know how to accept challenges, so we avoid them.
This can be depressing and defeating. Just like someone who is frail needs exercise to get stronger but needs to get stronger in order to do the exercise; it can seem like a “catch 22.”
Start with some small goals or projects. Small victories lead to more confidence, which helps us tackle bigger challenges. It’s a momentum that builds on itself. We need to stretch the limits of our mental capacity in order to grow. Just like exercise stimulates muscle growth, our mental capacity is only as good as we have trained it to be. We have to start somewhere; it might as well be today!
Quote Worth Re-Quoting
“If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you.” ~ Fred DeVito