On a day like today, it’s not easy to show up and do the work.
I didn’t sleep well; it’s been raining for a few days, and no one is waiting for me to show up and produce anything.
It’s not like I’m saving lives here.
In fact, I often feel like I might be merely adding to the noise.
I could nap, read a book, or watch a show.
I’ve already done my share this year, brought some meat, and even mopped the floors.
No one would say I am lazy.
It’s the opposite: my family and friends see that I’m working on something, and they don’t understand why I’m doing it in my free time.
Initially, some of them were intrigued and asked how things were going, but since I had very few exciting things to share, they stopped asking.
The worst thing that can happen if I don’t do the work is not some spectacular catastrophe- but NOTHING.
MODERN HERO
When we think of heroes, we usually imagine bold, spectacular actions: taking big risks and overcoming fears.
But modern hero rarely resembles that; you won’t see a shiny cape.
The modern hero is not a very exciting picture; it’s more like watching grass grow.
A modern hero is someone who works on something that:
- no-one is waiting for
- isn’t necessary
- isn’t very rewarding
- has no deadline.
And they often do it alone, without any outside structure or accountability, stripped of all and any excuses, facing the choice: to do it or not to do it.
CONSISTENCY IS YOUR BEST FRIEND.
A modern hero is someone who isn’t taking big risks but needs to accept uncertainty; someone who isn’t fighting demons but boredom and lack of instant gratification.
It’s someone who consistently shows up and does the work without any promise of success, just a glimmer of hope on a good day and a load of doubts on a bad day.
If, despite all that, you decide to show up consistently and do your work, the next time you catch your reflection in the mirror – smile at the modern hero you see.
A modern hero is a Stoic type, leaving the comfort of a warm bed on a rainy day to do tedious work, dressed in nothing but intrinsic motivation.
