Thereโs a quiet kind of power in choosing to show up when the conditions arenโt ideal. Not because we have to โ but because we chose to anyways. Itโs a mindset forged in discomfort, uncertainty, challenge, and perseverance. Itโs the power of showing up not just when things are easy, but when and because they are hard.ย
One of my favorite quotes from the entire Game of Thrones series that sums this idea up came from Arya Starkโs character development: โWhat do we say to the God of Death?โ her sword master asks. She replies, steady and focused: โNot today.โ No grand fanfare. Just resolute action.
This mantra โ I chose to anyways โ has been sitting with me recently as I prepare for a 10-mile open water swim race called Swim the Suck. I first swam this race back in 2019. About ten days before the event, I got something in my eye while outside, ended up in the ER with a serious infection, and couldnโt wear a contact lens in that eye for several weeks. Inexplicably, my doctor cleared me to swim on the condition that I didnโt get river water in my eye and that I had to do without a contact, half-blind โ completely unable to see out of one side. Despite the obstacle, I chose to swim anyways.ย
Itโs easy to show up when the sun is shining, when the taper is perfect, when weโre feeling strong. But most days donโt look like that. Most days, weโre tired. Busy. Injured. Discouraged. We canโt be bothered or we would rather be doing something else. Thatโs when execution matters most.ย
The Obstacle Is the Way
In his Meditations, Marcus Aurelius wrote:
โThe impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.โ
Thatโs the Stoic mindset: not just enduring difficulty, but using it as fuel. โAnywaysโ becomes a catalyst, not a deterrent. We donโt wait for ideal conditions. We move forward because conditions will never be ideal.
This is the spiritual cousin of the mindset weโve talked about before: โI get toโ. Gratitude, yes โ but also resolve. I get to train today. I get to work hard. I get to face the hard things. But โI chose to anywaysโ is what happens when that gratitude collides with real-world friction. When it rains. When it is too hot or too cold. When life gets complicated. When your body hurts or your schedule explodes. And when we are afraid… particularly when we are afraid. You choose to do it anyway.ย
Trust the Training
If youโve ever watched The Karate Kid, youโll remember how Mr. Miyagi had Daniel wax cars, sand floors, and paint fences โ simple movements, repeated again and again. Wax on. Wax off. Daniel didnโt understand what he was training forโฆ until he did. Execution is like that. Sometimes itโs not glamorous. But repetition builds readiness.ย
Training and making progress towards one’s goals isnโt just physical. Itโs mental. Emotional. Habitual. All of that comes together in the moment you face the obstacle and choose to move through it.ย
Whatโs Your โAnywaysโ?
There is always an obstacle. Training or racing in unideal conditions. Late-night writing deadlines. Parenting while exhausted. All of it has a moment where you can say โ โThis is hard. Iโm doing it anyway.โย
What underlies your โanywaysโ might be different each day. Maybe itโs the chaos of your morning commute, or the long hours of caregiving. Maybe itโs anxiety before a presentation, or a fear of falling short. Whatever it is, name it. And donโt wait for it to disappear. Show up through it and turn the obstacle into the way.
Kaizen Execution
We come back, as always, to kaizen โ continuous, incremental improvement. Choosing to take the next step, do the next rep, write the next word. Improvement through action, not perfection.ย
You donโt have to swim 10 miles. But you do have to show up for your own goals. Every day. Especially when itโs hard.
So next time the obstacle shows up โ and it will โ donโt ask why now? Ask:ย
What can I do todayโฆ anyways?ย
Challenge for the Month: Name Your โAnywaysโย
Think back over the past month โ or even the past year. Identify a time when something was hard, uncomfortable, inconvenient, or unexpectedโฆ and you did it anyways. Maybe you showed up when you didnโt feel like it. Maybe you completed a workout in the rain. Maybe you stuck to your diet at a birthday party where your favorite cake was served. Maybe you stuck to your habits during a stressful week.ย
Your challenge:
Write it down and name it:
โI chose to ________ anyways.โ
Then, reflect on why that moment matters โ not just as an act of execution, but as a defining part of your story. Was it a turning point in how you see yourself? Did it teach you that you’re more resilient than you realized? Can you draw inspiration for the next time an obstacle stands between you and your goal?ย
Bonus: Share it with a friend or teammate. Invite them to do the same. We build our identity not only through our goals, but through the anyways we overcome.
