Do Hard Things

Author of one of my favourite books Atomic Habits, James Clear, wrote, “Most of the time you don't need more information, you need more courage."

How often do we put things off or avoid taking action because they appear hard – not even too hard, just hard? It’s something both we as adults and our children struggle with.

But, the reality is, doing hard things is good for us. In fact, it is vital. It allows us to grow and achieve today, while simultaneously building the resilience and confidence we need to be successful in the future.

I often point one of my sons back to the time they walked 16km to the top of Australia’s highest mountain when he was only four. Or, when my other son rode 80km on his bike, aged just 7.

Of course, it isn’t just the physical challenges, but also the academic, emotional and social ‘hard things’ that we need to recognise, celebrate and remember.

Has your child struggled with a subject or assignment, but achieved well? Have they had a difficult friendship that they have approached with maturity? Was there a challenging life event that you’ve moved through as a family?

These are all hard things that, rather than avoiding, should become of the centre of our conversations, attentions and even our plans.

Entrepreneur and writer Nat Eliason, puts it well:

"The ability to do hard things is perhaps the most useful ability you can foster in yourself or your children. And proof that you are someone who can do them is one of the most useful assets you can have on your life resume.

Our self-image is composed of historical evidence of our abilities. The more hard things you push yourself to do, the more competent you will see yourself to be.

If you can run marathons or throw double your body weight over your head, the sleep deprivation from a newborn is only a mild irritant. If you can excel at organic chemistry or econometrics, onboarding for a new finance job will be a breeze.

But if we avoid hard things, anything mildly challenging will seem insurmountable. We’ll cry into TikTok over an errant period (full stop) at the end of a text message. We’ll see ourselves as incapable of learning new skills, taking on new careers, and escaping bad situations.

The proof you can do hard things is one of the most powerful gifts you can give yourself."

And, I would add, your children.

Registrations extended for Circle of Security Program

To ensure all families have the opportunity to participate in our Circle of Safety program this term, Ali, our school counsellor has extended registrations until Monday, 7 Aug. Please see below for details.