What Hard Is

Hard is subjective on a personal level. Everyone has their own indication and feeling for what feels hard. They all have their own ideas for when something is hard. This particular measurement is largely based on the personal perspective and opinion of the individual. There are factual interpretations that can create narratives to define something as “hard.” Facts such as: only 5% of applicants are accepted, only 20 people passed this test, or only 0.1% of athletes can achieve this feat. In any field, facts can add to the reason something is viewed as difficult. The facts do not shape the perception of the individual however, they only put a number on the outcome of the effort.

The factual number does nothing to represent the daily efforts it takes for someone to become one of the 5% accepted, one of the 20 who passed the test, or the 0.1% of athletes who achieve that feat. What feels hard is entirely personal, the numbers are merely used to shape mass perspective around what society views as hard.

What is hard to you could be very easy for someone else. What is hard to you may feel impossible for someone else. Hard is personal. Hard can take form in almost anything in life. Getting up early, eating healthy, going to the gym consistently, reading ten pages of the book you are reading, and putting your phone down so you do not aimlessly scroll social media. There are various levels of perceived difficulties for all of these tasks. All of these tasks will also be harder on day one of practicing than day twenty, or day fifty. This is a pattern for life as well. Starting something will always seem harder at first than when you look back on your progress. After days, weeks, or months of doing something, the perception of what hard is dramatically changes.

Spend 6 months learning a language and then look back at your progress from day one. What was hard then is probably easy now.

Spend 6 months training for a race and then look back at your progress from day one. What was hard then is probably easy now.

Spend 6 months retraining your body to wake up early and eat healthy and then look back at your progress from day one. What was hard then is probably easy now.

Hard is a sliding scale on a personal level. If you remain consistent and continue to push your boundaries for what you believe hard to be, you can achieve far beyond your initial measurement. As you push to achieve and redefine what hard is, you can set your sights on becoming a member of one of those statistics. As your ability grows through doing hard things on a consistent basis, you will become great at what you do.

Hard is only a stepping stone that needs to be continually walked to achieve.