This article was originally published by Fast Company.
I was recently asked to come speak with a business that was struggling in a down market.
“Everything is just really hard right now,” the leader told me. “People are down, and we could use some advice on what to do.”
We have all been on both sides of this kind of conversation, and it is always difficult. We’ve been the person who is struggling and looking for someone to give us the magic words that will make things better. And we’ve been the one people are looking to for those magic words. What do we say? What would we want to hear? What do we need to hear?
WHAT COLLECTIVE WISDOM SAYS ABOUT GOING THROUGH TOUGH TIMES
As I pulled my thoughts together, I realized I needed to go to what has fast become the source of truth and wisdom in our world. So, I opened my ChatGPT app and typed in: “What do I do when times get tough?”
The response from ChatGPT said, “When times get tough, it’s important to practice self-care and seek support. Here are some things you can do,” followed by a list of suggestions ranging from reaching out to friends and family for emotional support and practicing mindfulness and relaxation techniques to exercising regularly, talking with a therapist, and being kind to yourself.
Now, I’m not an expert on generative AI, but my understanding is that it reviews huge amounts of data to predict the most likely sequence of words in response to common queries and responses. Arguably, it represents the collective wisdom of our society.
But as I read the results, something stood out to me that was missing from the answer. Every suggestion from ChatGPT was about coping but not rectifying; about avoiding and not solving the problem.
And amazingly, there was no mention of working hard.
WHAT IT MEANS TO EMBRACE THE GRIND
There is a phrase that I hear from athletes that summarizes the incredible effort, persistence, discipline, and resiliency it takes to perform at a high level. How there are no shortcuts; how great athletic achievements can only be achieved by putting in the work of training day in and day out, week after week after week. How often it is necessary to push yourself to train, even when you are tired or bored or just want to stop.
They call it “embracing the grind.”
Embracing the grind means not only recognizing that you must find the energy to push through a tough day or a tough season, but appreciating those moments because you realize the results you desire lie on the other side.
HOW TO EMBRACE THE GRIND
What is true for athletes is true for all of us. Nothing great ever came without great effort. There are no overnight successes—at least not those that will sustain over time. There are only people who continually put in the effort needed to achieve greatness. To persevere, we must appreciate that the times when things seem especially hard are a necessary part of the journey.
Here are three things to consider when you (or your team) are going through tough times:
1. Focus On The Fundamentals
When times are easy, we develop bad habits because we can get away with them. Strong markets tend to cover up lots of mistakes. But when it’s hard, the details matter more than ever. Go back to (or determine) the key activities that lead to success and be hyper-vigilant about doing them.
2. Eliminate Distractions
When things are tough, you don’t have the luxury of spending time on activities that don’t move you toward your goal. Determine how much time you need to dedicate to doing the important things that will make you successful and be highly protective of that time.
Create a “prime time” where you can focus, put your phone on Do Not Disturb and keep your calendar clear. Figure out the things on your schedule that are distracting you from doing what is important and cancel them. In other words, get good at saying no.
3. Increase Velocity
If you needed to talk to 10 prospects to get a sale during an easy market, now you need to do 20. If your old way of doing things doesn’t seem to be working anymore, figure out new methods to test, and try them out as rapidly as possible so you can learn and create more effective ways of doing things in this tougher environment. Work fast to figure out what will work and then do more of it.
Oh, and yes, be incredibly purposeful about practicing self-care. The thing about athletes who truly embrace the grind of hard training is that they must be even more disciplined about rest and recovery. They eat healthier and sleep more.
When you are doing the hard work of getting through something tough, you must do things that help you recover from that hard work. Exercise, sleep, and eat well. Do things you enjoy and engage with people who build you up.
And when you overcome and things get easier again, remember what got you there.
