There is a phase in every project management lifecycle called the "Trough of Disillusionment."
It happens after the initial launch excitement fades, but before the results are fully visible. It is the moment when the newness of the Keto diet wears off, the scale stalls, and the 5:00 AM alarm feels like a personal insult.
In military and endurance circles, this is affectionately known as "The Suck."
For the ADHD brain, which runs on dopamine and novelty, "The Suck" is usually where the system crashes. We abandon the project because it is no longer stimulating. But this time, I am treating "The Suck" differently. I am not trying to avoid it; I am using it as training data.
The Art of Voluntary Hardship
The ancient Stoics (Seneca, Marcus Aurelius) practiced a concept called Voluntary Hardship. They would deliberately expose themselves to cold, hunger, or poverty for short periods, not out of masochism, but to immunize themselves against the fear of suffering.
When I fast for 22 hours, I am effectively practicing this philosophy. Biologically, I am lowering insulin. But psychologically, I am training my brain to realize: "I am hungry. This is uncomfortable. But I am not dying."
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| Sisyphean labours do not need to be pointless. |
By voluntarily choosing the harder path - skipping the donut, lifting the heavy weight, taking the cold shower - we build Resilience Equity.
Motivation vs. Protocol
We often wait for "Motivation" to strike. We wait to feel like going to the gym. But as a Manager of Program Quality and Compliance, I know that if I waited until I felt like auditing a spreadsheet, nothing would ever get done!
Motivation is a feeling. Discipline is a protocol.
When you are in "The Suck," you cannot rely on how you feel. Your feelings are lying to you. They are telling you to seek comfort, to eat the carb, to sleep in. This is where the "SOP" (Standard Operating Procedure) saves you. You do the work not because you want to, but because the procedure dictates that the work must be done.
The Grind is the Point
In video game terms, nobody enjoys "grinding" for XP (defeating the same low-level monsters over and over). But every gamer knows that the grind is the only way to level up for the Boss Fight.
If you are finding this journey boring, difficult, or uncomfortable today: Good. That friction is evidence that you are rewriting your code. Comfort is the state of stagnation. The "Suck" is the sensation of growth.
The Takeaway
Don't wish for it to be easier; train for it to be harder. When you wake up and dread the workout, or stare at a menu and resent the restrictions, smile at it. That resistance is the weight on the bar. You don't get stronger by looking at it; you get stronger by lifting it.
Embrace the Suck. It means you’re winning.
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