The Importance of The Hard
One of my favorite quotes is from the 1992 movie “A League of Their Own.”
“It’s supposed to be hard. If it wasn’t hard, everyone would do it. The hard is what makes it great.”
Reflecting on some of my best work experiences, they usually involve great people and great work.
Great people are generally an understood proposition — the combination of the right talent coming together simultaneously and the attitude, commitment, and skills with the right business environment to make some special magic happen. The only downside of that magical moment is that although you recognize it’s great at the time, you don’t fully appreciate how special that time was until you leave that team or some circumstances change, and the magic of the moment has passed. I’ve worked with many great teams in my life but I can honestly say there have only been three times in twenty-five years where I’ve experienced this magic synergy. If I knew how to recreate all the circumstances to make it possible perfectly, I would!
When you reflect on the most impactful moments of your professional career, I'm certain most of them are about overcoming obstacles, creating something new, turning something around, challenging assumptions, dealing with difficult people, and leaving a legacy. These are the moments that you proudly share in interviews, conversations, coaching sessions, and blog posts. They are the ones that shape your career decisions , both in terms of what you aspire for and what you want to avoid. They are your badges of honor.
The hard work moments are also where some of the biggest growth moments happen. I often say to employees that it’s way more fun to be adding chairs to an organization than subtracting them — but both have their challenges. If you’re in growth mode, there’s a set of learnings that happen, but if you’re having to do a turnaround, a comeback, or start from scratch, an entirely different set of skills comes into play. A whole set of learnings that take more creativity, drive, focus, and patience — a set of behaviors many people don’t often have. It’s why those stories stick with you. Those muscles don’t fade quickly; they become permanent and are gold medal-worthy.
So if you or your team are currently facing extra challenges, feeling short on resources, or dealing with a tough market, remember, you’re in the midst of it — and this time, right now, the hard — is what makes it great. Your current challenges are not just hurdles but opportunities for growth and success.
