Man, this is embarrassing. I don’t want to tell anyone, but it’s driving me crazy. It’s such a burden and I have to get it off my chest, get some help, ask for a second opinion.
Should I see a professional? These things don’t just take care of themselves. I think… Or do they just get worse? The last thing I want is to be numbed by a prescription.
Should I tell Katie? Terrible idea. But she’d understand, wouldn’t she? She’d help me through this. But she might think less of me. I can’t do that. If I did tell her, would she come to the doctor too?
Some days I get depressed. There, I admitted it. Whew, not so bad.
There are ups and downs to any journey. Nothing is all rainbows and roses. The valleys are what make the peaks so special. The peaks are what make the valleys worth enduring.
If you’ve ever set out to do something bigger than you think you can accomplish, good for you. It is scary to take on a project whose peak you can’t see at the start. That’s part of the challenge. You have an idea of what’s up there, but you don’t actually know what 25 employees will look like. You don’t actually know what a successful book launch will be. You don’t actually know what finishing a marathon will feel like.
A perfect example of this is the church (Seacoast) we’re a part of. They wanted to grow but had limitations with their building. They didn’t know what a multi-site church would actually look like, but they had an idea. Years later, there are a dozen campuses and the church has grown larger than any single building in Mount Pleasant, SC could ever have held.
But just like Seacoast, you have an idea. A hunch that this outcome for which you’re working and sacrificing will make it all worth while. You’re betting on the fact that if when you reach your goal, everything will be worth the hardships along the way.
Will it be worth it? I say, yes. But, I’m jaded.
Jaded because I know you can learn from every situation. Jaded because I’ve failed and still found a project “worth it” in the end. Jaded because I’ve figured out it’s just as much about the journey as it is the final result. One isn’t greater than the other nor are they mutually exclusive. The harder the journey, the greater the joy when you reach the summit. The bigger the goal, the more depression/valleys/bruises/hardships/lessons you have to be willing to endure.
The ups and downs give you wisdom and experience. The final result gives you the confidence to try something else outlandish, even if it’s not actually what you pictured. You can’t have one without the other. There’s no reason to even want to, that’s like walking away with only half of your earnings. Life is about pushing yourself, not being comfortable.
I don’t expect anyone to be able to believe what I’m saying about the journey till you try it for yourself. You can’t take anyone else’s word for it, it’s something you have to discover for yourself through trial and error. Brace yourself for this: There are no shortcuts. I know, it’s tragic to hear, but it’s true.
Some of you have attempted something huge and you’re grinning as you read along, I applaud you. You know what I’m talking about. For the other 50% (yes, you’re not alone), I want you to try. I want you to set your sights too high. I want you to dream bigger than you ever have before. I want you to establish outlandish goals (and then I want you to follow through with them).
Everyone’s journey is different. Learn what it’s like to go through those valleys, feel the high of success, and figure out how to endure when everything you have is telling you to quit. If you’re not willing to go through hardships, then you don’t deserve championships.
I’ll always have valleys that I have to push through. Whether I stay in them is my choice. Funny, though… I’m feeling better already. Sometimes the best prescription is a healthy dose of writing.
What gets you through the valleys and pushes you to the peaks?
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Leave me a comment or chat with me on Twitter, I’d love to hear from you. Have a great weekend!
