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1. Why Struggle Isn’t a Sign to Quit
Let’s be real: chasing big goals is hard.
There will be days when everything sucks — when progress feels slow, motivation disappears, and you start wondering, “Why am I even doing this?”
That’s normal. And it’s exactly why learning to embrace the suck is so important.
Every big goal has rough patches. The messy middle. That frustrating stretch where you’re hitting the gym but not seeing changes, practicing a skill that still feels awkward, or showing up at work but feeling miles away from progress. But here’s the truth: that struggle is part of the process, not a reason to quit.
Navy SEALs have a saying:
“Get comfortable being uncomfortable.”
Because they know something most people don’t: the people who succeed aren’t the ones who avoid pain — they’re the ones who keep moving through it.
So, let’s talk about why the suck is inevitable, why it’s actually a good thing, and how you can learn to embrace it instead of letting it break you.
2. Why the Struggle Means You’re Getting Stronger
Feeling like you’re dragging yourself through mud? Good. That means you’re growing.
Seriously. Growth isn’t supposed to feel comfortable. Brad Stulberg and Steve Magness, in The Growth Equation, break it down like this:
Stress + Rest = Growth
You need stress (the hard, uncomfortable stuff) to trigger growth. But without struggle, there’s no signal to your body or mind that it needs to level up.
Think about it:
- Lifting weights? You break down muscle fibers so they grow back stronger.
- Learning a skill? Your brain rewires itself through repeated failures.
- Building a business? Every rejection teaches you what works and what doesn’t.
The struggle is the path. The discomfort means you’re pushing beyond what you could do yesterday. And the more you show up, the more your body and mind adapt.
So next time it sucks, remind yourself: this is the part where you get better.
3. How High Performers Turn Pain Into Progress
If you think you’re the only one wrestling with the hard stuff, think again. Even the best in the world get punched in the face by failure — they’ve just learned to punch back.
Let’s steal some wisdom from people who know how to embrace the suck:
- David Goggins (Ultra-Athlete & Human Pain Sponge):
Goggins runs ultramarathons and wants it to hurt. Why? Because he knows every painful step makes him mentally tougher.“You have to build calluses on your brain just like you build them on your hands.”
- MS Dhoni (Cricketer & Captain Cool):
Dhoni didn’t have an easy ride to the top. He failed, got criticized, and carried the weight of leading India in huge matches. But no matter how bad things got, he stayed calm and trusted the process.“You learn a lot more when you lose compared to when you win.”
- Seth Godin (Marketing Guru & Dip Navigator):
Godin talks about “The Dip” — that long, discouraging stretch between starting and succeeding. Most people quit here, but the ones who push through? They’re the ones who make it.
The common thread? They don’t run from struggle — they use it.
The suck isn’t a signal to stop. It’s a sign you’re on the same path every successful person has walked.
4. How to Reframe the Struggle (So It Doesn’t Break You)
Struggle isn’t the problem — it’s how you see it. If you treat hard days like failure, quitting feels logical. But if you see struggle as part of growth, you can push through.
1. Pain Means Progress
Struggle means you’re growing. In the gym, sore muscles rebuild stronger. Life works the same way.
Take Virat Kohli — criticized early in his career, he used the pain to transform himself into one of cricket’s fittest athletes.
“Self-belief and hard work will always earn you success.” — Virat Kohli
2. It Won’t Suck Forever
Hard phases feel endless, but they pass. Mary Kom trained for years, balancing personal struggles, before becoming a six-time world champion.
“The boys, they are laughing: ‘Oh, you are boxing. Very funny.’ But I always challenge when people are laughing — ‘I’ll show you one day.’ After getting five times world champion, they are all quiet. And they respect me.” — Mary Kom
3. Find Meaning in the Mess
Knowing why you’re struggling makes it easier to keep going.
When ISRO sent a mission to Mars, they were working with a fraction of NASA’s budget. The team faced multiple failures, technical limitations, and global skepticism. But they kept going because they believed in proving that India could reach space on its own terms.
In 2014, Mangalyaan became the first successful Mars mission on the first try — a testament to years of relentless effort.
“You have to dream before your dreams can come true.” — A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
5. Turn the Suck Into a Ritual
It’s one thing to know struggle is necessary. It’s another to actually stick with it when you’re in the middle of it.
That’s where rituals help. On hard days, a simple routine can ground you and remind you that just showing up is a win.
1. Create a Pre-Game Ritual
Before diving into something hard, do a quick ritual to shift your mindset.
- Writing? Make tea, put on your favorite playlist, and write for 10 minutes — no judgment.
- Training? Listen to a pump-up song, stretch, and remind yourself why you’re doing this.
- Deep work? Set a 30-minute timer, and tell yourself you can stop after that. (Chances are, you won’t.)
2. Celebrate the Showing Up, Not Just the Outcome
Struggle gets worse when you only measure success by results. Instead, track the effort.
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Ran 2 km instead of 5? You laced up and hit the road — that counts.
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Wrote one page instead of five? You beat the blank screen — that’s a win.
6. The Struggle Is the Shortcut
If you’re waiting for the hard part to end so you can finally start making progress, I’ve got news for you: the hard part is the progress.
Every painful workout. Every frustrating failure. Every day you show up and feel like nothing’s changing — that’s the work that’s shaping you.
So next time you hit a wall, don’t give up. The hard stuff is actually getting you ready for the good stuff.
“First it hurts. Then it changes you.”
You’ve got this.