Why Doing Hard Things Matters: Overcoming Limbic Friction and Building Resilience
Life is hard. It might feel easy today, tomorrow, or even next week, but it’s a guarantee that challenges will come your way. No one gets through life without struggle—it’s a shared human experience. Yes, some people have better circumstances than others, but everyone has their “worst day.” Suffering is inevitable, but how we respond to it is what makes all the difference.
Why We Avoid Hard Things
In our modern world, technology and convenience make it easy to avoid discomfort. This avoidance is a product of our brain’s natural resistance to effort, a concept Dr. Andrew Huberman calls “limbic friction.” Limbic friction is the mental resistance we experience when we try to engage in activities that are challenging or uncomfortable. It’s the part of our brain that whispers, “Stay on the couch,” or “Skip the workout.”
But here’s the truth: avoiding hard things doesn’t make life easier. It makes us less prepared for the inevitable challenges life throws our way. Dealing with hard things is a skill, and like any skill, it only improves with practice. When you intentionally push through limbic friction and choose discomfort, you build resilience and confidence.
The Power of Practice: Votes for a Stronger Self
Every time you do something hard, you cast a vote for the kind of person you want to be. You reinforce beliefs like:
- “I can do hard things.”
- “I don’t back down from challenges.”
- “I can overcome obstacles.”
The more you practice, the stronger these beliefs become. Your self-confidence rises, and you become the person who thrives in adversity. You develop agency—the power to control your response to life’s challenges, even when you can’t control the challenges themselves.
How to Start: Embrace Simple Challenges
Facing hard things doesn’t have to be complicated. It can literally be anything that sounds hard.
- Do 100 burpees for time.
- Run a mile, then complete 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, 300 air squats, and run another mile.
- Walk a mile.
These activities might not be the same for everyone, and that’s okay. The point is to choose your hard thing and push through it… But it’s hard to know what to choose and even harder to motivate yourself to do it.
Motivation and the Power of Community
Finding the motivation to tackle hard challenges can be tough. That’s where community comes in. A supportive gym with dedicated coaches and like-minded members can help you overcome limbic friction and make doing hard things easier. When you have a place where you don’t have to plan—you just show up and get coached—the mental barrier to entry drops significantly.
In a strong community, you’ll have:
- People who hold you accountable.
- Coaches who guide you.
- Friends who celebrate your wins and support your goals.
Day after day, week after week, you’ll grow stronger together. You’ll build resilience, confidence, and the skills to face whatever life throws your way.
Ready to Do Hard Things?
Embrace the challenge. Find a gym that supports you. Push through the discomfort, and you’ll be amazed at what you can achieve—in the gym and in life.
Because when life gets tough, you’ll be ready.
With everything we do we continually strive to be best gym in Canby, Oregon!
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