Struggle to Start, but Finish as a Master

Adrian S. Potter
4 min readApr 22, 2024

Everything is difficult at first.

Photo by Анна Рыжкова: https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-rock-climbing-3077882/

The Secondhand Inspiration Project begins with a motivational quote and ventures wherever the creative path meanders.

I recently found myself out of shape. It is not a place I have been often, and I was down on myself for a while.

So, I set a goal to participate in a 5k later this year. But taking the first few critical steps toward getting into race-ready shape has been daunting.

But I need to get over it.

Getting over initial difficulties is crucial when pursuing a goal because it sets the tone for the entire journey. These challenges are like a threshold that, once crossed, opens up a path to progress and growth.

Overcoming initial hurdles builds resilience, confidence, and momentum, propelling one forward. It weeds out those who lack determination and strengthens the resolve of the committed. Additionally, the lessons learned from overcoming early obstacles provide valuable insights and skills necessary for success in the long run. Embracing these challenges as stepping stones rather than roadblocks is critical to reaching the pinnacle of any endeavor.

For my fitness goals, I sought secondhand inspiration from a quote by Miyamoto Musashi.

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Adrian S. Potter
Adrian S. Potter

Written by Adrian S. Potter

Antisocial Extrovert · Writer and Poet, Engineer, Consultant, Public Speaker · Writing about self-improvement, gratitude, and creativity · www.adrianspotter.com