SHOWING UP EVERY DAY

Hi there,

The truth is, life’s journey isn’t smooth. There will be ups and downs, resistance from all sides, and many times, things won’t go as expected. In fact, some days, you’ll feel down—empty, sad, stressed, or even angry. As you pursue your goals, what do you do when your motivation is low and things just aren’t working? Do you hibernate and shut down for weeks or months? Do you start to complain, blame yourself, or make excuses?

Well, we all go through these kinds of trials. And what you need at that point is to keep grinding—stay consistent and persistent. Consistency provides the minimal momentum you need to make steady progress, even when your energy is low. You are being persistent when you show up regardless of the odds.

Showing up means saying, “I’m going to try again,” after a series of failed attempts.

As a researcher trying to test hypotheses and generate new knowledge, we often experience the frustration of things not working. But showing up is essential to making significant progress. Just imagine Nikola Tesla picking up his bag every day to go to his lab after thousands of failed experiments. Surely, there were naysayers trying to discourage him from showing up daily. I can also imagine Tesla, on some mornings, lacking the motivation to even get out of bed—because going to the lab felt boring or disheartening.

Yes, he failed many times. But he didn’t stop trying. No! He showed up until the magic behind the light bulb was finally unraveled.

In this note, I’ll discuss a few things that can help us show up, even when we don’t feel like it.

1. Build Habits

Habits make consistency easier. For instance, even when your body aches, if you’ve built the habit of exercising, you’re more likely to go to the gym. To build any habit, you don’t need to take giant steps—just small steps, done repeatedly over time. If you want to build a reading culture, read just one page or one chapter a day from that big book. Before you realize it, you’ll have become a bookworm.

So, build great habits—because habits can breed either failure or success.

2. Get a Coach and Cheerleaders

You’re more likely to succeed when you’re accountable to someone. Is there someone who can check in and follow up with you until you achieve your goals? When you feel like giving up, do you have someone who can lift you up—someone who helps you see farther than you can alone?

A coach can guide you beyond your current abilities and help you tap into your latent potential. No doubt, life can be hard sometimes—but do you have people who will cheer you on when the going gets tough?

3. Be Hopeful

Hope is the confidence that tomorrow will be better—it’s the expectation of positive outcomes. When you’re walking through hell, do you still believe there’s light at the end of the tunnel?

Hope dispels fear. It’s a fountain that must never run dry in your life. Even when you’re losing almost everything, don’t lose hope. Hope fuels conviction and helps you forge ahead. It’s the spark that keeps you going in the darkest times.

Conclusion

I know life keeps throwing curveballs at both you and me. Challenges, failures, setbacks, and disappointments are real—but you can develop resilience against them. You may feel unlucky or less fortunate than others. You might even feel like you’re at your breaking point—but don’t give in.

Just show up and give that extra little push. You will win!

Thank you for reading. Don’t forget to drop your comment below.

I am Samuel Ayankoso, a mere quester with some ink to write.

Quotes

“We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.” — Martin Luther King Jr.

“A habit is a routine or behavior that is performed regularly and, in many cases, automatically.” — James Clear

 “Forget about goals, focus on systems instead. Goals are about the results you want to achieve. Systems are about the processes that lead to those results.” — James Clear

“I absolutely believe that people, unless coached, never reach their maximum capabilities.” — Bob Nardelli

 “Each person holds so much power within themselves that needs to be let out. Sometimes they just need a little nudge, a little direction, a little support, a little coaching, and the greatest things can happen.” — Pete Carroll

“Hope is important because it can make the present moment less difficult to bear. If we believe that tomorrow will be better, we can bear a hardship today.” — Thich Nhat Hanh