Just a restatement of “We … do these other things not because they are easy, but because they are difficult,” which for me is, “It’s hard. Do it anyway.” When inattention and repeated failure in grad school turned to constant anxiety turned to depression, I often found myself not doing things because they were hard, and in moments of clarity, that would rankle deeply, but I’d be unable to break past the “it’s hard” barrier. Then, I found myself taking a firm, mentoring hand with friends of mine—one I never turned on myself. So, I began internalizing and repeating, “It’s hard. Do it anyway,” whenever the only reason I could give myself to not do something was that it was “hard.” I liked it as a phrasing that brooked no rebellion, but acknowledged that yes, the task was hard. There are times, still, on particularly bad days, when “hard” is even as simple as doing the dishes, but this mantra does get them done.
Just a restatement of “We … do these other things not because they are easy, but because they are difficult,” which for me is, “It’s hard. Do it anyway.” When inattention and repeated failure in grad school turned to constant anxiety turned to depression, I often found myself not doing things because they were hard, and in moments of clarity, that would rankle deeply, but I’d be unable to break past the “it’s hard” barrier. Then, I found myself taking a firm, mentoring hand with friends of mine—one I never turned on myself. So, I began internalizing and repeating, “It’s hard. Do it anyway,” whenever the only reason I could give myself to not do something was that it was “hard.” I liked it as a phrasing that brooked no rebellion, but acknowledged that yes, the task was hard. There are times, still, on particularly bad days, when “hard” is even as simple as doing the dishes, but this mantra does get them done.