“What more could you ask for in life than to be given an impossible challenge?” — Cory Booker (1969 – )
Isn’t that a great quote?
I can hear some of you saying that you’d rather have just one day where you didn’t have to focus on challenges. That a day you could easily breeze through would be a nice break from every day life. And while in this super-busy lifestyle a single stress-free day might be nice, I bet you any more than that would leave you bored.
Whether I’m challenging myself in a fitness class, in my writing, or even in a game I’m playing; I find that the adrenaline rush I get from pushing myself just a little further is a big part of living.
But challenges serve a bigger purpose than pushing us forward. Working toward a goal, and that includes overcoming a hurdle in the road in front of you, helps you to sharpen your skills. A little bit of resistance is sometimes all you need to fight harder for a positive result.
Look at most writers, and you’ll see a perfect example of this quote at work. Myself included, many have found the road to publication was filled with rejection, more than they (we) would like to recount. Endurance and persistence are two necessary qualities that were used to face the challenges head on, overcome the hurdles and reach the goal.
My experiences in retirement seem to indicate that you are correct, Connie. While you may think having entire days free to do whatever you want is a dream come true, the truth is, it doesn’t come without its own unique consequences. I can write all day if I wish, so why don’t I seem to be making much progress on my WIP? Instead of having built-in motivators for getting myself up and moving, I have to learn to be self-disciplined. And it can be lonely sometimes for a single person whose friends are all still trying to juggle work with home and family responsibilities, even someone with hermit tendencies like me.
I think we all have to learn to appreciate each day as it comes, with its joys and frustrations, instead of always looking toward the future as the time when we will truly be happy. It just doesn’t work that way.
I have to agree, Susana! I find when I don’t have anything to reach toward or any obstacle to overcome, I’m less motivated to push forward.
Challenges push us to work harder.