The Struggle is Real.... but is it a Struggle?

There are many sayings about struggling, "what does not kill you makes you stronger", "If you're struggling, that means you're progressing", "Success is born of struggle". "The Struggle" for some has become a badge of honor, but most people get so caught up in the struggle they forget the goal is success.

When you're working 60 hours a week, your paycheck is barely making ends meet and no matter what you do somehow you can't seem to standout at work to be noticed by the important people; this is truly when the weight of the struggle is on you. The struggle is not something to be glossed over or manipulated into some rainbow sprinkled moment that it is not. No, it's called "The Struggle" because it's hard, is heavy and sometimes leaves scars. What gets forgotten though, is there is an end to the struggle.

Evenutally, you do have success. The success may not be all encompassing but there are milestones of success which should be embraced for the good moment it is. As you are given the authority to delegate, which shortens your work week hours; as payday rolls around you have something left from the previous paycheck; your name begins to be mentioned when the managers and partners in meetings emails and memos; These are moments when even in the struggle success is present. When you begin to see some progress and success merging from your struggle, make those good moments just as "real" as the struggle was in it's deepest part. If the struggle was so real it was your first response when people asked how you are doing then your successes and progress towards success should be just as real and on the tip of your tongue. Honoring your successes is the surest way to end the struggle.