The Struggle With Struggle
I know most people, deep down, want at least some comfort, stability, and certainty.
Sometimes, I want want those things too.
But I’m often reminded that hardly anyone remembers the comfortable stories. The ones that stay with us are ones that entail overcoming struggle.
Here’s a glimpse…
Exhibit A:
Michelle graduated High School right on time.
She went to college and did well in school.
After receiving her degree in business, she found a good job at a local consulting firm.
She got married.
And settled down in her hometown.
That’s a nice story. But it’s missing…something.
Exhibit B:
Michelle came from a well-educated family.
The one thing her parents wanted for her was to get an ivy league education.
Her mom even purchased a Harvard sweatshirt as a Christmas gift during Michelle’s Sophomore year of High School.
But Michelle wasn’t sure what she wanted to get out of college. So after she finished high school, she took money she’d been saving and spent a year traveling and volunteering. She even found a short-term role with a small tech company.
She became wildly curious about technology and had an interest in helping infuse technology with a greater understanding of things like heart, soul, and passion. She enrolled in college to study Computer Science.
While in school she fell in love, but her partner graduated first and moved home to help with the family business. Eventually, their relationship fell apart.
She finished school and worked to launch her own business right out of college. Her college even helped her incubate her idea. But after two years, she realized she’d rather have the experience of growing within a company rather than continuing her own pursuits, so she put her project on hold. Thankfully, while working on her business, she met a few influential individuals who helped her find a job in her field of study.
Her parents are proud of the woman Michelle is becoming. And though she’s still finding her way, she knows herself better than ever.
___________
Did you feel the difference?
Adventure
Love
Loss
Coming of age
Risk
Failure
Resolution
You don’t need to manufacture struggle. You don’t even need to seek it out. The more true and honest, the better…the ones that surface when you are driven by conviction to make a change or when you face an unforeseen situation with courage.
So if you’re struggling to create, build, or just survive – know that this is part of the story. Move through the struggle boldly and share the ups and downs openly.
Chances are, the best parts are just ahead.