One Overlooked Habit of Success

My 9-year old daughter is almost a black belt in Tae Kwan Do.  Hard to believe, but she is within a couple months of earning it.  And one of the things students have to do as they get down the final stretch is really up their training and practice of their forms and other aspects of the martial art.  For a 9-year old, this is an additional 4-5 hours a week of training.  

The other day my daughter came to me and asked if she could skip a day of training.  She promised, promised, promised she would make it up at some other point in the week.  I explained to her that with our family schedule, that was not possible and she would need to go.  She persisted.

After a little more back and forth, I knew it was time to teach her an important lesson about success and one I want to share with you.  

I asked if she knew how the people that are great at something, became great.  She gave me a few answers along the lines of they work hard, etc.  I told her that yes, they work hard, but like her and many others, they have times when they just don't want to do it.  They don't want to put in the work or do what needs to be done that day.  And the lesson that I shared is that, it is in those moments that the greats separate themselves, because they push through and do the work.  As much as they don't want to, they find the will to do it.  And it is in those times that they gain the most and become better. 

That is the lesson.  To find the will or fortitude to push forward and do what needs to be done to get better when everything in you doesn't want to do it.  You not only grow in your skill at the work you are doing, but you grow your mind's capacity for what you are capable of.  

I can speak to this from personal experience with my own entrepreneur journey and racing Ironman.  Entrepreneurship brings challenges every day that you need to push through and if you do, your business grows and becomes more successful.  If you shrink from things, then it doesn't.   

When it comes to Ironman racing, I am competing at high levels and have gotten myself to within the Top 10-15% in the world in the sport.  I have a long way to go to compete with the best, but each race I get better.  I have to train a lot.  Most days at least 2 hours and on weekends I may have 4-6 or more hours of training at one time.  And of course, I have my businesses to run.  I cannot count how many times, I get up at 4:30 or 5am in the morning to knock out my training before the day starts and just don't want to do it.  But, when I push through and do the work I know it is making me better and after I am done, I am actually more productive and successful in my day.  

Develop the habit of pushing through and doing the things you know you need to do when you don't want to do them and you will separate yourself in success.