Early stages in anything has been characterized as "EATING S#!+". This isn’t much of a fair label. We are confusing how it feels with the mechanics underlying the activity. Before any of this occurs we must be able to truthfully determine what our objectives are relative to the domain.
It’s easy to chase the rewards and the trapping associated with success. That’s a consequence of being great at something. If great is something we want to be then eating shit is the price you’re going to have to pay.
Here are a few consideration to meditate on:
Not all people are trying to be great.
Along the way many people abandon the desire to be great in order to fit in and accept the mutuality of others who find more comfort in mediocrity. We all begin with the greatest of intentions until the Iron Mike Tyson uppercut lays us out. Along the way there will be an inner voice and and outer voice from others doing their best to attempt to convince you to take the easy road.
Hard Work is Not Sexy Work
As we overlook what this stage of our development has to offer out attention begins to wander onto to other peoples grass. Flat out. It’s none of your business. Comparison is a cold-blooded thief. It’s a drama-ridden familiar companion that when in tandem with you will only serve to send your on a time consuming adventure that goes nowhere and sometimes backwards. The sooner you pick up the pattern, accept that is none of your business.
Hard work is like the scene in Karate Kid when Mr. Miagi has Daniel-Son wax on wax off. Can we trust that the hard work is building the skills to aid us along the way?
Drill with Soul
Love what you do and do what you love. It’s not eating shit if your are in love with the overall activity you’re engaged. If we buy into the acceptance of things being extravagant or mundane we begin to author our expectation in ways that fail to stimulate us. Connect with why you fell in love your domain. Allow that love to get you curious about every single aspect of the process. Some things are an inside game and are there for the sole purpose of strengthening our relationship. The pathos of the relationship builds stronger anchors which bind together our hold to the relationship.
Give yourself the benefit of the doubt that we are building equity in the domain with each repetition. Each repetition is another opportunity to list toward for the secrets that are being freely offered to you in a rhythm and pace that you can understand or not. This one tidbit is enough to make me curious.
There is nothing to prove. Justification is not necessary
You are on the right path. If you can lower the inner volume that wants to acquire some type of trophy that will assure you that you’ve made the right call then that very consideration is evidence that you are not committed to the process. Deep engagement will give you evidence each day of the progressions you are making. The progressions of abilities are building up to the point that you may be able to leverage them one day. Cooking requires sourcing the right ingredients along with the orchestration of preparation and performance in order to produce the meal. It’s an intensive process where sequencing matters.
