Phinc: (v) To understand that sometimes the things we do not like to do or experience are part of what we do want to see and experience.
I recently finished “Finish What You Start” by Peter Hollins. Interestingly, this is the first book I’ve finished in a while. I have a nasty habit of reading books until I get the point and the essence of them. To be honest, I think a lot of books could be shorter than they actually are. However, I also understand the need for the author to delve deeply into a subject so that a diverse audience can find themselves and answers in the text. This book was one of those that hit the nail on the head and moved on. Also, it was difficult not to finish a book that is about finishing what you start. Lol!
I saw myself in a couple of the stories the author told while describing why people don’t follow through and finish what they start. One of them was about the things we absolutely do not like to do but are part of the journey we need to take. In many cases, we view them as obstructions rather than milestones, as roadblocks rather than rites of passage. The moment we begin to realize that these things come with the package, we start to plan for them. We begin to set up structures and systems that help us navigate.
I resumed at the gym today, and the first thing I said to myself once I stepped in was, “Today will be hard.” This wasn’t a negative statement; it was a fact. It was me accepting that before I can reach my goal, I need to get through today. I needed to go through the struggle of getting out of bed. I needed to endure the itchy thighs when I’m on the treadmill. I needed to lift weights that would make me pant and lose my breath. I needed to feel so tired and thirsty after every routine. Today was going to be hard, and as much as I dreaded it, reading that book was a great reminder that this pain was part of it!
Tomorrow, results will definitely come, but today is for the effort I need to put in. Valleys only exist between mountains. This means that if you see a valley, then there is a mountain ahead. The beauty of the mountaintop is not exclusive of the base. It is all part of it.
I hope this got you to Phinc!
*This article is part of a series called PHINC Two and is about winning the war in our minds even as we reach for greatness and become better versions of ourselves. Phinc Two comes after Phinc a book written in 2017 about Purpose.
