Choose Hard Things Before Life Chooses Them For You
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Some of the best life lessons aren’t found in books — they’re found in the middle of the tough stuff, when you’re tired, when the plan fell apart, and when the only thing left is you versus you.
At the Running Man Health and Wellness Festival, I crossed the finish line of a marathon. But the real highlight? The night after the race, Mike Posner took the stage. Now, you probably know him from his platinum hits, but what impressed me wasn’t his music — it was his mindset.
He ran the ultra marathon — 31 miles — and then got on stage and performed for 90 minutes straight. Meanwhile, I was questioning my life choices after just 26.2. But during his set, he said something I can’t shake:
“We train to do the hard things we don’t choose in life by choosing to do hard things.”
That one sentence? That’s the blueprint for living a bold life.
Voluntarily Choose Hard Things
Most people spend their entire lives avoiding hard things. We want comfortable jobs, easy relationships, and predictable routines. But life doesn’t care about your comfort — and sooner or later, it’s going to throw something hard at you anyway. The question is: Will you be ready?
The only way to prepare for life’s storms is to choose your own storms first. That’s why I run marathons — not because I like running (I actually hate it). But because I need to regularly put myself in uncomfortable situations so I know how I respond when things get hard.
I never want to stand on a stage and tell people how to overcome adversity if I haven’t put myself in situations where I had to overcome my own.
When Was the Last Time You Weren’t Sure?
Let me ask you something: When was the last time you set a goal you weren’t sure you could achieve? Not a goal you knew you could hit if everything went right — but one so big you genuinely didn’t know if it was possible.
If you can’t remember the last time you felt that kind of uncertainty, then your goals aren’t big enough.
The biggest mistake I see people make with goal setting is they only set goals they feel comfortable with. They aim just high enough to look ambitious but low enough to stay safe. The problem? Safe goals don’t change you.
The goals that shape your life are the ones where you think, “I have no idea how I’m going to pull this off.” Because those goals force you to grow into someone capable of achieving them.
Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable
Every time I set out for a marathon, I have a plan. I map out my pace, my nutrition, my strategy. And without fail, something always goes wrong. The weather changes, my legs cramp, or my stomach revolts — something always tries to throw me off.
But the finish line never moves.
That’s life, isn’t it? We create these perfect plans in the comfort of our homes, but reality never follows the script. The people who succeed aren’t the ones with the best plans — they’re the ones who are comfortable adjusting the plan without adjusting the goal.
Your conditions will never be perfect. If you’re waiting for 70 degrees and sunny to chase your dreams, you’ll die waiting. Life rewards the ones who show up when it’s pouring rain, scorching hot, or nothing like they expected.
Who Are You, Really?
The biggest benefit of choosing hard things isn’t the medal, the title, or the applause. It’s the answer to this question:
Who are you when everything gets hard?
Most people never find out. They play it safe, stay in their comfort zones, and live life at 60% of their potential. I don’t want that. I want to know, at the end of my life, that I left it all on the field. I want to know exactly what I was capable of — not just what I was comfortable doing.
If you’ve never voluntarily put yourself in a situation where you weren’t sure you could succeed, you’re robbing yourself of that knowledge.
Don’t Die in the Chair
My brother’s friend, Chad Wright, a former Navy SEAL, has a saying: “Don’t die in the chair.”
It means if you’re going to fail, fail while you’re trying. Fail while you’re in motion. Don’t fail because you were too scared to start. Don’t fail because you let fear or laziness or self-doubt keep you stuck in the chair.
If you strike out, make sure it’s because you swung for the fence — not because you were too afraid to take the bat off your shoulder.
What’s Your 26.2?
Here’s my challenge for you:
- Set a goal that scares you.
- Set a goal you’re not 100% sure you can achieve.
- Set a goal big enough that it forces you to become someone better.
And then — take the first step. You don’t have to know every mile of the journey. You just have to decide there’s no other option.
That’s how you build confidence. That’s how you build resilience. That’s how you make sure, at the end of your life, you aren’t haunted by the words “I could have.”
The Next Step Is Yours
So what is it? What’s the goal you’ve been avoiding? What’s the challenge that’s been whispering your name?
The couch is comfortable — but nothing grows there. Set the goal. Take the step. Choose the hard thing.
Because one day, life will choose the hard thing for you. And you’ll be glad you practiced.