Those who have been following my work for the last two and a half years know that I try my best to put forward a positive attitude. I also encourage everyone that listens to constantly put their best foot forward, and drive themselves to do more, do better, do harder. “Embrace the Grind” and “nil satis, nisi optimum” (Latin for “Nothing but the best is good enough”) have been my mottoes from day one, and I have done my best to always put that foot forward. It may be assumed by many that I live that life 100% of the time.
I don’t. In fact, every day is a struggle to push forward and live that ideal. Life is traumatic by nature, and there is ever more in our lives that adds to that trauma, especially now. Coupled with an ever-growing number of addiction sources, from alcohol, tobacco, and drugs, to the ever-growing social media addictions, the need for clout and recognition, and the desire for attention, our emotions are easily swayed by small occurrences that may provide us fame, or infamy. As a content creator, I am not immune to this; in fact it is stock-in-trade in the whole content creation sphere. That said, even though I too must ride the ups and downs of the analytics section of my Channel, and of course this site (when I remember to post /facepalm), I also have to navigate Real Life in a way that allows me to provide for my son.
With all of that on one’s plate, you can imagine that there are the emotional, and spiritual, ups and downs that are inevitable in life. While I am always pushing, and try to be upbeat in my work, it doesn’t mean that I’m always feeling that way. It just means that I know when I have to set those internal feelings aside, and continue grinding. Do I have off days at my day job? Yes. Do I have days where I forget to upload that day’s video? Of course! Do I have days where I am so bogged down at work I can’t focus and have a hard time getting anything accomplished? Hello, executive dysfunction! Does that mean I allow myself to get into a loop and rely on my difficulties as a crutch? Absolutely not.
When you are faced with a difficulty, or you run into a day where you have low energy, go through your mind and try to suss out what might be causing it. Did you drink too much? Eating the wrong things? Perhaps you need more sleep. It could also be external factors, such as concern over family, friends, or current events (especially if you’re hooked into the news cycle these days…).
No matter what the cause is, allow yourself to reset, then go at it again with renewed vigor. You are permitted to retreat, but only if it is strategic, and short lived. Any step back from what you are doing will cause you to lose momentum, so if you are forced to make that call, be willing to push that much harder when you go back to it; because you will have to. Doesn’t matter. Make sure you have your brainspace in order, then hit the grind again like a hammer!
McBain Manor 