It's okay if it's hard

I love wrestling.  A lot.  I love coaching and seeing things progress through a training plan.  I'm an extrovert and love being around people.  Especially people that I like and are interested in the same things that I am.  I also love a good challenge and working hard (although, that looks different at this age).  I enjoy creating things and building programs for athletes that work out in the end.  I love the process over the outcome, but I still really love winning.

But, sometimes it's hard to go to practice, even though I love it.  Sometimes, I need a break or some space, and that's okay.

If you've been following us this month, you're aware that we've started a challenge for our athletes to "Journal the Journey" and write in their notebook/journal every day.  I told them I'd lead by example and post my journal online daily.  I really love writing and sharing my options, but sometimes that's hard, too.  Or I just don't have the time for it.

Take a peak at Precious Wieser's online journal as she shares a few of the ideas above in an eloquent way.  She's writing a short series this week as part of her "Journal the Journey" experience.

It's okay if it's hard because often times, it's supposed to be.  Practice should be hard.  Breaking out of our shell should be hard.  Pursuing excellence is hard.  Wrestling, by nature should be hard.  It's great fun and brings me a lot of joy, but sometimes precisely because it's hard.

The reason I'm writing this is because tonight at practice one of our athletes shared that it's actually okay to grit your teeth and plow through the hard times, or the times you don't want to be at practice, or the times you're not having fun because that's just how it goes.  We love what we're doing, but sometimes we have a bad day or bad practice or practice is harder than we anticipated.  It was nice to hear from an athlete.

Following a plan and routine is worthwhile even if we have to embrace some suck along the way.  Showing up and pushing (or dragging) through is as important as showing up with excitement and vigor and dominating.

I had an athlete on the cusp of doing something no one had ever done in our sport at the highest level possible.  She committed to the program and dedicated her entire being to the process.  It was hard and pushed her to a breaking point.  She wanted to flat out quit and she asked me if I'd still accept her (the answer was yes).  She needed to disappear for a moment and collect her thoughts.  Then she spoke to another athlete who had done things that had never been done in her sport and she said if you never get to the point that you want out, want to quit, aren't enjoying things, then you're not giving everything you can to the goal.

That has stuck with me and shifted my perspective on everything, especially elite sports.  There's no judgement when you give everything you have to a single endeavor and get overwhelmed and want out.  If you don't get to that point, you're not giving everything you can.  It would mean there's more to give and a deeper commitment out there.  It's okay if it's hard.

We need people around us who recognize the difference between giving up/quitting when there's much more in the tank and the person who wants out because they've given everything.  Those are significantly different things.  Great coaches and teammates, friends and spouses, and others can step in and help us keep things in perspective.

It's okay if it's hard.