They had just hit the 90-minute mark of a two-hour practice. As was the daily routine, the players grabbed a quick drink of water and hustled to the baseline. Clearly exhausted from an hour and a half of constant motion, no one complained. They all knew the next 30 minutes were a key ingredient in the secret sauce of success.
“Alright, let’s go—time to do the hard work! Give it everything you’ve got—no quit! And let’s be encouraging!” barked the coach before blowing the whistle. Without hesitation, the players began to run up and down the court. The philosophy was clear: push yourself to do the hard work, especially when you already feel spent. “Fall seven times and stand up eight.” — Japanese Proverb
The muscle being built wasn’t only physical—it was mental. The lesson was to create a mindset that doesn’t give up when things get challenging, but instead leans into the hard work. It was about cultivating a discipline of resilience that applies to every facet of life.
As my grandfather often reminded me, “Response is everything.” When we face difficult circumstances, if we’ve trained ourselves to lean into the hard work rather than give in to feeling overwhelmed, we discover a deeper reservoir of resilience.
The letter to the Hebrews, written to a faith community enduring a time of great trial, offers this encouragement: “Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us…” (Hebrews 12:1). Echoing this, theologian Eugene Peterson once said, “The measure of a spiritual life is not in ecstasies but in endurance.”
None of us travel through life unscathed. Yet if we embrace the daily discipline of leaning into the hard work, we will strengthen the ‘muscle’ of resilience to face whatever comes our way.
Just like the players on that court, we all face moments when we are tired, challenged, or unsure we can keep going. The difference is made by choosing to show up, to run the extra laps, to lean into the hard work even when it feels impossible. Each small act of perseverance strengthens our resilience, building the mental and spiritual ‘muscles’ we need to navigate life’s challenges. When we embrace this discipline we discover that the hard work itself becomes a source of growth, hope, and opportunity.
“And let us not grow weary in doing good, for in due season we will reap…” — Galatians 6:9
“In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity.” — Albert Einstein
BP