I have hated the hour and kept it

Deformed from years of video games, my brain thinks growth feels good.

As you level-up, the game feels nicer—less grind-y.

Unfortunately, it took me 31 years to notice that life doesn't work like that at all. Growth is hard, and most folks (myself included) are wired to avoid it.

• "The Resistance is the progress."
• "The obstacle is the way."

However you phrase it, the emotional aversion to the Thing You Must Do, is the path to growth.

I hate feeling weak, uncertain, or incompetent. (You'll notice, shockingly, that you must feel these things to progress in any arena.) It took me 31 years to realize that those feelings don't need to steer me. I can feel the hatred, and stay the course.

So, I crafted a mantra to remind me:

I have hated the hour and kept it. This is also faithfulness.