It’s optional

This writing is Certified Human

“Comfort is the enemy of progress.” — P.T. Barnum

The Obstacle

Sometimes showing up
Is optional

We’re not required
We don’t need to.

We could skip
Stay home
Remain comfortable.

It’s cold
Others will skip
It’s the weekend.

We could just lay around
Do nothing
Rest up.

No one would blame us.

It’s optional.

The Gift and Opportunity

Showing up
It’s optional.

Getting better
Is optional too.

We could have stayed inside
Warm
Comfortable
Skipped the practice.

We didn’t need to be there
Coach didn’t require
It was cold
Windy
Snowing.

We didn’t need to suffer
But we did anyway.

We showed up.

There was no whining
Complaining
Wishing we were somewhere else
Doing something else.

We chose to be there
For our team
Our progress
For ourselves.

Those who were there
Share something with each other
Learned something about themselves.

We show up
When it would have easy not to
When it was uncomfortable
When it was optional.

The Practice of Self-Mastery

• Notice when comfort starts negotiating
• Choose growth over convenience
• Show up fully in harsh conditions
• Let the hard thing build you

CHEAT CODE: NOTICE THE EXCUSE → CHOOSE TO SHOW UP → EMBRACE THE CONDITIONS → GET BETTER