How to Overcome Life Challenges Using This One Trick

I saw this post by a guy named Tamuk Scruggs. And it got me to thinking about how being able to focus in the now moment while also keeping one eye on goals, is like a super power.

On overcoming challenges:

“It took me back to my time at a department of correction boot-camp or what I called a "state sponsored vacation". The challenge was simple--COMPLETE THE 90 DAY PROGRAM OR RETURN TO THE COURT TO BE RE-SENTENCED ON THIS AND PREVIOUS CRIMES THAT I HAD BEEN CONVICTED OF.

I was facing 540 months(I'll let you do the math so that your brain can try to wrap your understanding around what I faced at 20 years old) due to current conviction and 2 other convictions and a habitual offender charge.

Sounds simple right? 90 days, go home or, well, you'll do the math. This was one of thee hardest programs in the country at the time. It was so difficult of a program, that it had a 75% failure rate. Imagine, 4 people go in, only 1 person comes out. It was so difficult that one of the original 7 people that went through the program, QUIT, TWICE, in his time there knowing he would be facing prison time. He was sentenced to 10 years.

I did well in the program. I was 65 days in and got to the point of an actual breakdown one day after being disciplined by multiple officers at the camp. It felt like they knew I was close to going home and just wanted to really mess with me both physically and mentally. It brought me to actual tears of anger. There was nothing I could do but take it since the only other options were to quit and go to prison or fight them and go to prison.

I laid down that evening and focused on the goal of getting home and the importance of that. My daughter was almost a year old, my parents were elderly, and I was almost done with the program. So each day all I focused on was one pushup at a time. One step at a time on those 5 mile 5 minute runs. One assignment, one meal, one step, one minute, one day, at a time.

I made it to completion of the program, and to my surprise, the first thing I saw was my daughter. She turns 28 this year. She has 4 children. She has a sister with 2 children. The point is, had I quit, with so much on the line, I would've missed being here for my daughters, my grandchildren, my wife, and even YOU, whoever you are, that needs this motivation. So to you I say this, YOU can make it! You will want to quit! Don't! It'll be the greatest thing you'll ever do for yourself, and for those that will benefit from you not quitting.”

We often think of the relief we would feel if we quit doing the hard thing, as opposed to the joy and sense of confidence we get, if we don’t quit.

Think to yourself, what would happen, if I didn’t quit? What would happen, if I believed beyond a shadow of any doubt, that I could do it?

Some will say “well I’m a realist!!! And thats unrealistic!”

Okay, lets use science backed data:

The video below discusses a fascinating study conducted at a tennis academy in Florida, which aimed to identify the factors that differentiate the top five world-ranked tennis players from those ranked within the top 25. Contrary to what one might expect, the study revealed that the key difference was not related to diet, exercise, or coaching. Instead, it was the athletes' thinking patterns, especially in the crucial 10 to 15 seconds after scoring a point, that set the top players apart. The top athletes employed positive thinking during this brief period, which not only helped them conserve energy but also enhanced their self-perception, ultimately leading them to victory in matches.

One of the study's highlights was the examination of players' success factors. It compared the top five players with those ranked between 6 and 25, exploring variables like diet and coaching. However, the findings underscored the significance of positive thinking patterns as the primary differentiator. Specifically, the study noted that positive thoughts following a point—such as an appreciation for the game and confidence in the next shot—played a crucial role. These positive thoughts were shown to slow down the athletes' heart and breathing rates, contributing to better performance.

Furthermore, the research highlighted that positive thinkers were more efficient in conserving energy throughout the competition. This energy conservation, coupled with a heightened sense of self-worth, made positive-thinking athletes more likely to win their matches. Thus, the study underscores the profound impact of mental conditioning on athletic success, suggesting that the right mindset can be as important as physical preparation.

It doesn’t get any more real than that. How much energy, not just mental but physical, do we waste on negative thinking and thoughts?

If we can just focus, on the positive outcome (obviously if we arent wasting time or money or endangering ourselves in some way), focus on the now moment, we can do things we never thought possible in our lives.

“"The outer conditions of a person's life will always be found to be harmoniously related to his inner state...Men do not attract that which they want, but that which they are.”

"A person is limited only by the thoughts that he chooses.”

"As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he" Book of Proverbs, chapter 23, verse 7: