Setema Gali's Official Blog

Loving the Grind of Things, Embracing Adversity and Working Like There’s No Tomorrow

Posted on 09. Aug, 2011 by Setema Gali in Adversity

I’ve been absent from my blog for 4 months and I’ll explain that later…maybe.

When I write and speak it always comes from the heart, from my immediate circumstances and experiences. This post is about loving the grind of things, learning how to embrace adversity…and learning how to outwork, out-hustle and out-perform the competition.

1. Loving the GRIND

There’s really no secret about winners. They love the grind. They love the nitty gritty work.This principle comes from the Boise State Broncos Football Team. They have won more games in the past 10 years than any other team. They’ve beat the big teams on the big stage of sports. What’s one of their underlying principles?

They teach their players to love the grind. That means to love the hard stuff. Playing football is a grind. Running in 95 degree whether is a grind. Getting hit and having the wind knocked out of you is a grind. Losing big games can be a grind. Whatever job you’re in you better learn to love it or you’ll be mediocre at best because it is only when you love what you do that you’ll get better and be better than your competition.

It is only when you truly love what you’re doing that you can be the best at it.

During the summers I knock doors and protect communities by finding families who qualify for our home automation system. The company is Vivint and yes it is a grind. Knocking doors, getting rejected, mosquitoes, gnats, bugs, dripping with sweat, working late and getting home late etc. is all part of the grind. 

If you have a job or work that gets boring and mundane (here’s a secret…they all do) and you can learn how to love the hard part, the grind…you’ll find yourself breaking past the mediocrity of the job. You’ll find yourself having more passion, more fun and making more money. It’s plain and simple. Love the Grind.

2. Embrace Adversity

Adversity is a part of life. When you learn how to embrace it, to love it, to maximize it and to learn from it you’ll find life sweeter and sweeter and in greater abundance.

You have two choices when it comes to adversity. You can hate it, get mad at the world, ask self-pity questions like “why me” or “why did this happen to me” OR you can embrace it, learn from it, be humble and draw nearer to God through the adversity.

I watched a movie with my wife called SOUL SURFER.

Of course I judged the movie by the title and look of the DVD cover. I thought to myself “Oh great, here’s another dumb movie about a surfer girl and her dreams…”

I was wrong.

I cried through the entire movie (seriously, I do need to get my man card back).

The movie is based off of a true story.

Bethany Hamilton was on her surf board when a shark came and bit her whole arm off. She barely made it to the hospital and the doctors weren’t sure if she was going to make it.

Months later after the stitches healed Bethany was back in the water. She tried to surf with one arm and after riding two waves with no success she was able to get up on her third wave.

That year she competed in the Nationals and took 5th place.

A year later…with only one arm…she won the national surfing competition.

Instead of giving up on life, this young lady allowed God to work through her.

Watch the movie. I highly recommend it. It’s in my top 10 movies of all time…you will be inspired.

No matter what adversity you have faced in your life…loss of job, loss of loved ones, depression, discouragement, anger, etc. you can overcome those with God’s help and if you allow Him to work through you, He will make your adversity and loss become your gain.

3. Working Like Your Life Depended On It

Those who learn how to work hard and smart usually have great things happen to them. It’s one of the great secrets of life…work, work and work.

Watch this video by Will Smith or by Ray Lewis…they sum it up.

You know if you’ve been cheating yourself because you’ll feel it. At the end of the day if you’ve given your very best, regardless of the outcome you’ll always feel good about yourself.

I wasn’t the fastest or the strongest when I played football…but I knew I could outwork folks. I knew if I worked harder I would undoubtedly succeed and surpass my competition. “Work will beat talent any day when talent don’t work.”

If you’re down…work it off.

If you’re sad…serve someone else.

If you’re unhappy…find something and give your all to it.

Hard work solves many problems.  You’ll never lose a reward for giving your very best.

What are your thoughts?

Setema