Are you worn down by ongoing challenges? Discouraged, thinking you’ll never be done? This week’s video provides a quick technique to flip the script and boost your mood, energy, and ability to continue!
How can you find encouragement during ongoing challenges? Here’s a useful technique, from Phoenix, Arizona.
Have you noticed in your life hard things aren’t just about big moments, but ongoing processes? It’s not about finding the courage and ability to do something once, quickly. More often, it’s about endurance and execution over time.
When I find myself at that moment of pause between one step and the next, I state, “Hard part’s over.” I say this internally or aloud to myself, my family, my friends, clients. Even perfect strangers. And while this sounds innocuous or even silly, it works, and is scientifically supported. Examples:
After negotiating Atlanta traffic, airport parking, security, and getting on the plane… Hard part’s over.
After finishing the first draft of a new book… Hard part’s over.
During a challenging workout, after an especially tough exercise… Hard part’s over.
Getting this script, camera, audio, and myself ready and on location before daylight… Hard part’s over.
Applications are everywhere, and you can use this phrase as a self-motivating cue for your ongoing projects and process. It’s light hearted, yet with a deep-seated meaning.
Sometimes it means the most difficult part of the journey is now in the past, completed. Or it could just mean a hard part is over, not necessarily the most challenging. After all, who knows what’s to come?
It’s like planting a flag to mark your progress. The steps, climbs, and trials of your past do not need to be retraced. And that’s the brain science. Instead of the stress of feeling that you’ll never be done, which is true, you give yourself psychological check marks which boost your energy, well being, and ability to continue.
So when you’re down or discouraged by all you’ve been through, tell yourself and others, “hard part’s over.” This will lighten the mood while filling your tank with the satisfaction of accomplishment. Until next week, stay Off Balance On Purpose.