185: Hate It... Endure It... Embrace It.mp3
Napoleon Hill wrote, “When people first come into contact with crime, they abhor it. If they remain in contact with crime for a time, they become accustomed to it and endure it. If they remain in contact with it long enough, they finally embrace it and become influenced by it.” This applies to many parts of our lives.
For me, growing up I saw bad neighborhoods and crime riddled streets. It wasn’t uncommon for drive-by shootings, gang violence, robberies and drug dealing in the streets. Our neighborhood was accustomed to seeing crime. You could see how people, in many cases were used to and putting up with the crime because they viewed it as the norm. Others you could see that they had embraced that lifestyle and allowed it to influence them, often becoming part of the perpetrators of the crime that at one time would have shocked them.
This quote can also be applied to the positive in our lives. It can be used to show our ability to adapt and overcome. If you start putting yourself in a position to be surrounded by positivity, you go through the phases. First, you may be annoyed by someone always greeting you and asking you about your feelings. Eventually, you accept it and tolerate it. After a while it becomes normal and you start looking forward to it. You may even start participating.
The issue becomes recognizing when you are no longer making positive progress in your life. Its tough. Change your routine up once in a while. Constantly look for new ways to improve your life, your productivity, your creativity, your performance, and your relationships. Remember that nothing in life is free. You have to work for what you want in life. At first, the work seems too hard, or painful. You end up hating it. Eventually, you are able to tolerate it and endure the work. Finally, you will find that you enjoy it, or you are at least able to look at the benefits of what you are doing. For me, working 3 jobs is stressful, but I set a goal for myself to be 100% out of debt, have my mortgage paid off, and my Car paid off within 5 years. I knew that what I was currently doing was not going to make that a reality, so I changed up my activity level. I started some side hustles that allowed me to work on my own time and earn extra money. That money now goes directly towards my bills paying off one at a time until all are paid off. The work is hard, and stressful. However, the end goal is in sight and I will be the first member of my family to be completely debt free, able to work because I want to rather than just to keep my head above water.
It is amazing what we are able to adapt to. Both the positive and the negative. Don’t settle on negativity, it will lead you down an increasingly dark path. Also, try to surround yourself with positivity. You will find that the quote from Napoleon Hill will come true for you even in those situations. Eventually you endure and accept the positivity. At the end you will be influenced by and could even become and influencer yourself.
