Resistance

Not every day can feel like a winner.

Since leaving my job, I haven’t had a down day until yesterday.

When I tried to write the words wouldn’t come.

When I tried to read, I couldn’t concentrate.

When I tried to do some coding, I couldn’t remember anything.

When I tried to reach out to some new prospects, I couldn’t pull the trigger.

We all have days like this. Job or no job.

Days when the prospects we were hunting just up and vanish leaving no trace of intent behind.

Days when our sales email falls completely flat.

Days when it seems nothing productive is happening.

Those are the days when it’s most important to fight back. To not let those gut feelings of “I don’t feel like it,” to win. That’s what Stephen Pressfield in his book The War of Art calls the Resistance. A force in all of us that wills us towards the easy and comfortable options, and keeps us from our potential.

Not every day can be a net win.

But even the days that seem like a total loss aren’t without opportunity.

The last thing I felt like doing yesterday was going to the gym. I felt defeated. I didn’t want to go fight myself anymore. I’d had some muscle cramps. I just wanted to go home and take a nap.

So I went to the gym.

I got on the treadmill and started running. 

I didn’t leave the gym until I was done with my workout almost an hour later. 

I didn’t cut any corners. I did it all. It sucked.

So many of us want to cut corners when we “don’t feel like it.”

But I’m more proud of myself for fighting through that moment of defeat yesterday and just going to the gym than I am of the PR I set last Saturday on a workout. AND I’m even more proud that after all I felt and experienced yesterday, I still went and made a sweat deposit. 

I’m sure you can guess what happened AFTER I left the gym.

I had the most productive 4-5 hour stretch of the day. Sure, it included some seemingly mundane things like grabbing groceries and cooking dinner, but it also included getting in some writing, reading, and email outreach/followup to a handful of prospects.

Fight back. You’re the one responsible for your life. The story you’re telling the world is in your hands.

What narrative do you want to be associated with?

Do you want to be the person who allows the Resistance to win and prevent you from reaching your potential?

Or do you want to be the person who fights the Resistance every day and takes control of the outcome of their life and story?

You can tell yourself that today doesn’t matter and you’ll try again tomorrow, but that’s a lie to comfort yourself and alleviate the tension you feel.

Every day matters.

Act like it.