“Every time I hit one of those mental and emotional walls, I recognized that my competitors were facing the same challenges. I knew this was another moment that, if I kept going, I would be strides ahead of them. These were the defining moments of success and progress.” – Darren Hardy
Everyone is tired and has a long to-do list. There are so many distractions in today’s world from endless entertainment options, social media, world events, family/friends, etc. When it comes to work and activities geared towards productivity and self-improvement, it’s very easy to say you’ll start later, finish later, and just do a little bit for now. There’s a little devil on everyone’s shoulder urging you towards distraction. Successful people brush the distractions and excuses aside, and push through. They do the extra reps in the gym, study the extra hour, make the extra business call, and go one step further – consistently giving themselves the edge over those who do not go the extra step.
Why the Wall Appears
The wall is not a sign you’re on the wrong path, but it is the price you pay to stay on the right one. Early progress comes cheap and is fueled by novelty and enthusiasm. Then the novelty fades, your results plateau, and your brain – an organ built to conserve energy – starts to wear down. This is the moment Hardy is describing, and most people stop here. The wall is often a dividing line between the plateau and progress. Those who push through advance while the field thins out around them.
Consistently doing a little extra compounds over time, giving you a better foundation and increasing your odds at both achieving and maintaining success. As Darren Hardy says, “It takes very little extra to be EXTRAordinary. In all areas of your life, look for the multiplier opportunities where you can go a little further, push yourself a little harder, last a little longer, prepare a little better, and deliver a little more.”
Here’s some encouraging math. One extra hour of focused work a day is 365 hours a year or approximately nine full workweeks. The extra rep, the extra call, the extra chapter feel trivial in the moment, but compounded over years, they are the entire difference between two people who started in the same place.
Know Which Walls to Push Through
One qualification matters. Persistence is only a virtue when the wall is worth breaching. Seth Godin draws the distinction well in “The Dip” – quit the dead ends quickly, the tactics going nowhere and the commitments made for the wrong reasons, so you have the energy to push through the dips that actually lead somewhere. The discipline is deciding in advance which walls guard something valuable, and then refusing to negotiate when you reach them.
The wall will come in the gym, in the business, and in any pursuit that matters. Expect it, recognize it for the filter it is, and keep moving. Years from now, you won’t remember the days you coasted. You’ll remember the days you pushed through.
Read more from author Darren Hardy in his book, “The Compound Effect.”
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