This is a term that is used far too often. I‘m as guilty as any in regard to the use of this phrase “Embrace the Grind”, however, I think that I have a very good reason for my use of it. I actually fucking mean and practice what I believe the meaning of this phrase is. Life in and of itself is a process, a grind if you will. Each and every day you are either getting better or worse. I truly believe that. I do not believe that there is any wiggle room in regard to that. So when I am staying up late putting in massive amounts of my time into this website, learning new techniques, expanding my mind, traveling, waking up at four in the morning to go to the gym or anything else that my daily grind requires I tend to not look at it as a burden. We have to be able to differentiate “hard times” and an experience that is inherent to the task in which you are trying to achieve. It may not be hard times, and you may just be riding the wave of forward momentum in which you have created by chasing whatever goal it may be.
This should seem very simple, but I feel as if many do not understand this. If you are chasing lofty goals, there will be growing pains. Big achievements do not happen on their own, they require hard work, busting your ass for extended periods of time and staying the course whenever the process becomes difficult. If achieving your goals and dreams was easy, wouldn’t you think everyone would be crushing it? In my experience, many become complacent once they reach a certain level of comfort. They lose that hunger, particularly whenever it gets tough. If you remember anything that I have ever typed remember this. When it gets tough, that is when your horizons begin to expand and true growth begins. I like to refer to this as the “process” whenever someone says “man, you‘re all bruised up and sore from that workout why do you do it?“ I smile because I know it‘s all part of the PROCESS. Look below for examples of the process and how excuses can misconstrue the growth taking place from “hard times.“
◊Example One
Cause: I want to lose 50 pounds!
Effect: From all the working out, I‘m sore and now I can complain about that.
My Solution: Shut the hell up and keep grinding; soreness is part of the process. If you want to lose the weight bad enough quitting will not be an option. If you really want to change your life now is the time to start thinking and acting differently.
◊Example Two
Cause: I want to start my own website/business!
Effect: Initially, you realize you don’t know shit about web design or business, now you feel discouraged and sad.
My Solution: Get to expanding your mind! We live in the information age, and the information is readily available. Quit being fucking lazy and smile at the opportunity to learn more and become a better person because of it. Again, this is part of the fucking process! Use that shitty feeling as fuel, once you begin learning what you didn’t know you flip the script and turn that shitty feeling into a positive. Embrace the fucking grind!
If you think like the examples above I want you to ask yourself a question before you make your next excuse. Do any of the people that you idolize, the people that you want to be like, do they think like that? I’ll answer for you, no, they do not. That is as long as you are idolizing the right individuals that have reached any type of success. Winners have a different mentality, all winners embrace the grind.
While you may struggle along the way you must remind yourself that if you are striving for lofty goals you will take lumps along the way. It is literally unavoidable. Whenever I fail at something new, I most often smile once I get over the initial frustration. I know that failing is a good thing from experience. I know how to use failures as fuel. I also know that if I am failing that means that I am putting myself outside of my comfort zone which is absolutely crucial! I smile because I know what it means to embrace the grind. I‘ve fallen on my face a thousand fucking times, bounced back from it and became better and more resilient because of it. That is the epitome of embracing the grind.
So the next time that you are feeling bad for yourself because you came up short I want you to smile, dust yourself off, and remind yourself “This is all part of the process.“ Embracing the grind is something that I choose to truly live by. Whenever life kicks your ass and you can smile through it and come back for a second serving you will begin to realize that life will get out of the way for you. You will become stronger as you continue to get back up after each ass kicking that life dishes out. Once you realize that all of the lessons you‘re taught by failing each day actually force you to improve, you will then begin to embrace the grind and start actually living it.
–MindofAMan
