Day 49: Resilience

Muhammad Ali was once asked how many Sit-ups up he did at any given point in time during his training. (I'm rephrasing). This is what he had to say, "I don't count my sit-ups. I only start counting when it starts hurting because they're the only ones that count." (I'm not rephrasing, he said that exactly.)

When I first heard this it truly hit me, this is exactly what resilience looks like. That moment when everything in your body and mind is screaming "STOP, YOU LUNATIC!" but something deeper keeps you going. It's not just about fitness, is it? It's about life, habits, growth, and all that good stuff we're constantly chasing.

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance." – James 1:2-3

Joy? In trials? James, mate, have you tried doing push-ups till your arms feel like they're about to detach from your body? But there's wisdom there, isn't there? That uncomfortable space just before breaking point, that's where the magic happens.

The Exponential Curve Nobody Tells You About

Here's what they don't tell you about building habits or learning new skills: progress isn't a nice, gentle slope upward. It's more like climbing the Cape mountains, steep climbs, sudden drops, and those moments where you're convinced you are about to roll backward down the hill.

That's the valley before the peak, innit? The darkest hour before dawn, as they say. Scientists call this the "J-curve" of learning, there's an initial improvement, then a significant dip in performance or motivation just before a breakthrough. It's like your brain is reorganising itself, getting ready for that next level.

Angela Duckworth, in her book "Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance," talks about this phenomenon. She found that the most successful people aren't necessarily the most talented, they're the ones who can push through these valleys. The ones who keep going when every cell in their body is begging for Netflix and a large pizza oh and chill.

Dr. Kelly McGonigal, in her book "The Willpower Instinct," explains that what feels like complete exhaustion of willpower is often just our brain trying to conserve energy. It's not that we can't go on, no it's that our prehistoric brain is trying to save resources for running away from lions or whatever. Very helpful in the savanna, not so much when you're trying to learn French or stick to a budget.

The Sneaky Breaking Point Tricks

Here's what happens at the breaking point, right? Your brain gets proper creative with excuses:

"You've done enough for today, good effort!" "This is probably bad for you anyway." "Everyone deserves a break sometimes." "No one would know if you just... stopped."

My personal favorite from this week: "This writing isn't going on today, but I bet it would flow better after a few alarm snoozes." Six snoozes later, I'd written exactly zero words. Well played, brain. Well played.

When King David was on the run from Saul, hiding in caves and living rough, he wrote Psalm 63:1: "You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water."

David knew a thing or two about breaking points, didn't he? Spent years running for his life, facing one crisis after another. And yet, he kept his focus.

Practical Ways to Hold On When Everything Wants to Let Go

So what do we actually do when we hit that wall? When we're right on the edge of giving up on that new habit, skill, or change we're trying to make?

1. Remember the 40% Rule The Navy SEALs have this concept that when your mind is telling you you're done, you're actually only about 40% done with what you're physically capable of. David Goggins, ex-SEAL and professional crazy person (I say that with utmost respect), talks about this in his book "Can't Hurt Me." Next time you think you're finished, try pushing just 10% more. You might surprise yourself.
2. Shrink the Change Sometimes we need to make the next step so small it's almost laughable. Can't face a full workout? Just put on your gym clothes. Can't write that report? Just open the document and write one sentence. As James Clear puts it in "Atomic Habits," "Make it so easy you can't say no."
3. Use the 5-Minute Rule Tell yourself you'll just do the difficult thing for five minutes, and then you can stop. What usually happens? Once you start, continuing isn't as hard as you thought. I tried this with meditation last month. "Just five minutes," I told myself. Twenty minutes later, I opened my eyes, somewhat shocked I'd stuck with it. (Then I immediately checked my phone, because enlightenment clearly hasn't arrived yet.)
4. Remember Your Why "Where there is no vision, the people perish." – Proverbs 29:18

When your muscles are screaming or your motivation is on life support, reconnect with why you started in the first place. Is it for your health? Your family? Your future? Write it down somewhere you can see it when times get tough.

The Science of Breaking Through

Here's a bit of science to make you feel better about struggling: when you exercise a muscle to failure, you create microscopic tears in the muscle fibers. Those tears heal stronger than before. That's literally how muscles grow.

Your resilience works the same way. Each time you push through a breaking point, you're creating the psychological equivalent of those micro-tears. You're building mental muscle.

A study from the University of British Columbia found that students who faced and overcame serious challenges in their academic careers developed better problem-solving skills than those who had an easier time. The struggle, it turns out, is not just part of the process, it IS the process.

The Final Push (I Promise)

So here we are, you and me, having a chat about not giving up when everything in you wants to. About how growth and change happen in those uncomfortable moments when you're convinced you can't go on, but somehow, you do.

So next time you're at your breaking point, or brain foggy with effort, or willpower hanging by a thread, remember: this might just be the moment before the breakthrough. The valley before the peak. The darkness before dawn.

Word of the day;

"Keep on keeping on, friends". Because this is what we do now!