We tend to avoid situations where we struggle. We want to know all possible outcomes before making decisions so we don’t have to struggle. When we do meet with hardships and struggles, we desperately seek someone or something to blame and then frantically seek to overcome them. Too many times, we take actions to get back into our comfort zone without learning anything from our struggles.

Struggling can actually help you. Help you learn. Help you mature. Help you focus. Help you connect with others.

Struggling breaks the power of what’s holding you back.

What’s holding you back? Lack of a college education ^[2]? Poor interviewing skills? Not knowing how to negotiate ^[3]? Struggling will break those old habits and thought patterns. Struggling pushes you in a direction that helps you overcome them.

Struggling makes you realize that you’ve wasted enough time already.

Time management ^[4] becomes much more important when you’re struggling. You tend to make better decisions because each one of them is truly important if you’re to learn and eventually overcome your struggles.

Struggling forces you to focus on what’s important.

Nothing like some hard times to help you prioritize everything. Struggling can help you develop a laser like focus on what is truly a necessity and what is a luxury. Some things ARE important. By default, that means that some things just aren’t. Struggling helps you identify both.

Struggling reveals who you really are.

When you squeeze a tube of toothpaste, what comes out? Toothpaste (I hope). It’s what was contained inside the tube. When YOU get squeezed, what comes out of you? Bad attitudes? Depression? Anger? Bitterness? Reassurance? Can-do attitude? Concentration? A desire to serve? Each of those things were already inside you. It just took pressure to bring them out. Once you see what’s really on the inside, you can begin to work on your weaknesses and celebrate your strengths.

Struggling shows you realize that life is a team sport.

No man (or woman) is an island. We all need each other. Struggling helps you connect with others whether you’re the one with the struggles or whether you’re the one giving support. Don’t be afraid to let another person lift you up, and never hesitate to encourage someone who’s struggling.

Hard times and struggles have their place in our lives. Without them, we have no way to really appreciate good times. I know it isn’t easy. I’ve had my share of struggles and hard times, but each one of them taught me something. I’ve experienced job loss, sick children, and financial struggles (boy have I ever had financial struggles). But again, each one of these struggles helped me learn to use self discipline ^[5] and trained me to make better, more wise decisions in the future.

Embrace your struggles and learn from each of them.

photo ^[6] credit: ♥ellie♥

About the author

Ron has written 1083 articles on The Wisdom Journal.

The founder and editor of The Wisdom Journal ^[7] in 2007, Ron has worked in banking, distribution, retail, and upper management for companies ranging in size from small startups to multi-billion dollar corporations. He graduated Suma Cum Laude from a top MBA program and currently is a partner in a national building materials company.

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