If You Want To be Tough
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Summary
- If I want to build toughness in myself or others, I realize it won't come from an easy or relaxed life. Toughness comes from going through hard things.
- To become patient, I understand I shouldn't get everything right away. Waiting and dealing with delays helps me grow patience.
- Every strong trait I want—like patience or toughness—has a price tag. That price is usually paid in the form of time, effort, and sometimes discomfort.
- I should see challenging periods of my life as an investment. I am trading seconds and moments from my life to gain valuable traits that will matter later on.
- When I think long-term, like looking back from age 80, I know I'll value the person I became, not just what I achieved. The hard times are what shape me and build those traits.
- If I want to be proud of myself in the future, I need to be willing to "pay" now by going through tough experiences and not taking shortcuts.
Video
How To Take Action
I would suggest implementing a simple mental shift first: start seeing hard times as the price you pay to develop real strength, patience, or whatever trait you want. This doesn’t cost money—just a change in your thinking. When something tough happens in your business or life, remind yourself, “This is the cost of getting tougher. I’m making a good investment in myself.”
A good way of doing this each day is by picking something small that frustrates you—maybe a delay, a difficult customer, or a task you don’t like. Don’t try to escape it or fix it instantly. Instead, pause and say, “I’m practicing patience right now. This is valuable.” Over time, this builds your patience and toughness, without extra money or huge amounts of time.
If you run a business or are trying to grow, stop searching for shortcuts to make things easier all the time. Instead, lean into challenges. When things get difficult, remind yourself that getting through these moments is what actually builds the traits you admire in others.
Take five minutes at the end of your day to write down one hard thing you faced, and one trait you’re earning from it—like resilience, patience, or courage. Over time, those notes will prove to you that the tough parts are the best investment you can make in your growth. The future version of you—at 80 years old or any age—will be thankful you didn’t avoid the struggle.
