When Joseph Campbell was asked what it was like to have a peak experience, to feel alive, he said:
"My peak experiences all came in athletics"
Hard things make us feel alive. They force us to be fully engaged, to experience a slew of feelings
On the value of doing hard things:
"My peak experiences all came in athletics"
Hard things make us feel alive. They force us to be fully engaged, to experience a slew of feelings
On the value of doing hard things:
When we're young, we do lots of hard things.
As we age, we often default to the easy, unless it has a payoff, like in work.
We stop doing hard workouts and stick to going for a jog. We stop dabbling in creative, attention-demanding projects and stick to what we know how to do
As we age, we often default to the easy, unless it has a payoff, like in work.
We stop doing hard workouts and stick to going for a jog. We stop dabbling in creative, attention-demanding projects and stick to what we know how to do
As my college coach once said when me and my teammates were lying on the track exhausted after a workout:
“Your parents haven’t felt what you are feeling for 30 years, if ever.”
“Your parents haven’t felt what you are feeling for 30 years, if ever.”
Hard things bring a flood of experiences.
The feeling you get provides intensity, depth, and nuance. It makes the dull and numb seem vibrant, if just for a moment.
You get a rush of hormones, adrenaline, dopamine, cortisol, testosterone. All for your body to make sense of.
The feeling you get provides intensity, depth, and nuance. It makes the dull and numb seem vibrant, if just for a moment.
You get a rush of hormones, adrenaline, dopamine, cortisol, testosterone. All for your body to make sense of.
You feel what it’s like to be locked-in, in the zone, or on the flip side how to navigate distraction and discomfort.
Hard things demand attention and engagement.
No zoning out, no checking your phone.
Being present, in that moment.
Hard things demand attention and engagement.
No zoning out, no checking your phone.
Being present, in that moment.
It's no surprise that to experience 'peak experiences' as Campbell called them or "flow" as others refer to them, research shows that you need something in the sweet spot of challenge & skill.
Something just beyond what you're capable of, not too far, not too easy.
Something just beyond what you're capable of, not too far, not too easy.
Your hard thing doesn't have to be physical.
Exercise is great, but so is writing, sculpting, creating something new, having challenging conversations, or just trying something that pushes your comfort zone.
A little bit of discomfort is a signal you're on the right track.
Exercise is great, but so is writing, sculpting, creating something new, having challenging conversations, or just trying something that pushes your comfort zone.
A little bit of discomfort is a signal you're on the right track.
One of the best pieces of advice I got after hanging up my competitive running spikes was from @DavidEpstein
“When you’re done with competing and just enjoying running, don’t stop doing hard workouts.”
Keep doing hard things.
“When you’re done with competing and just enjoying running, don’t stop doing hard workouts.”
Keep doing hard things.
I often wonder if when we don’t do hard things, we end up searching for something that comes with that flood of feelings, hormones, & engagement
We yell and troll people on Facebook & Twitter to feel something (anger with a hit of adrenaline). We feel alive, even if its negative
We yell and troll people on Facebook & Twitter to feel something (anger with a hit of adrenaline). We feel alive, even if its negative
I think it’s part of our nature, the need to feel that flood of hormones, sensations, and feelings.
And I think it’s important that it comes in something we choose to do, that we have control over.
Hard things are fun when we can choose to stop, when we have control.
And I think it’s important that it comes in something we choose to do, that we have control over.
Hard things are fun when we can choose to stop, when we have control.
When we don't. They can be miserable.
After all, we’ve got enough difficult things in our life (work, COVID, etc.), but most of that we have no control over.
When its hard & we lack control, our hormonal surge is tilted more towards stress, than excitement.
After all, we’ve got enough difficult things in our life (work, COVID, etc.), but most of that we have no control over.
When its hard & we lack control, our hormonal surge is tilted more towards stress, than excitement.
It’s part of our nature, the need to feel that flood of hormones, sensations, and feelings.
It’s important that it comes in something we choose to do, that we have control over.
Make sure you have something in your life that is difficult & forces you to be engaged.
It’s important that it comes in something we choose to do, that we have control over.
Make sure you have something in your life that is difficult & forces you to be engaged.
I wrote about the value of doing hard things in my weekly newsletter. To see the full essay, you can check it out here: thegrowtheq.com/do-difficult-t…
And for those who would love the full exchange with Joseph Campbell and Bill Moyers on his running pursuits, here you go.
His peak experiences came from racing the 800m. THe pinnacle of challenge, attention, and a flood of discomfort, pain, feelings, and doubt.
His peak experiences came from racing the 800m. THe pinnacle of challenge, attention, and a flood of discomfort, pain, feelings, and doubt.
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