You have heard the term "grind" in every aspect of life. From the grind of a job, school, content, sports, the gym, whatever it may be; the grind is there. Some people use this term positively. I have had several coaches use this term and wanted me and my teammates to "embrace the grind". I have also had a coach tell the team that he didn't like that word because, every day, we get to play a game that we love. So how can something you love be a grind? I see both sides and I agree with both.
If it is a grind, it can mean that you have to work yourself up to want to do it. Maybe you are really good at something, carpentry for example, but you have to force yourself to go make a table and sell it. Maybe your talent is writing, but you struggle to come up with topics or interesting stories to write about. These can be considered actual grinds and things that you actually have to work for.
The other side: grinding for something you love. A lot of people do things they love, work extremely hard at them, but enjoy, or embrace, the work. I decided to head to instagram and ask a few people how they handle the grind and not "go through the motions" of life, content, gym, hobbies, etc. and got some great answers!
Embrace, Do Not Dread
The first person who replied is a guy from Austin, TX who owns his own apparel company. His name is Jason Lucero and the title of his brand is UPHILL BATTLE CO. Jason had this to say about the grind...
I think a lot of it comes from perspective, when I said I embrace it, I really do. It wasn’t always that way but I think training your mind to KNOW your “grind” will pay off or you will learn from the grind is a massive turning point. Once you embrace instead of dread the process, it becomes a beautiful cycle. - Jason Lucero
Jason sees the value in hard work and he credits his parents for modeling that for him. He also stated that building solid habits, doing these repetitive things constantly, will cause you to potentially feel off if you break from them for too long.
Sure, a break from the everyday minutia of life is great, why do you think they invented vacations! However, when you have been gone for more than a few days, you begin to feel as if you are missing something. Having structure is a beautiful thing and creating this habits can produce success and wellness.
Grind = Complicated
Ethan Downs is a defensive end for the Oklahoma Sooners Football team. Ethan has taken the Sooner fanbase by storm over his last two seasons with his personality, but more importantly, his character. Just this last year he headed up a food drive for the Norman area food banks. This became a competition for the teams on campus to raise food over the last school year. He has been a huge part of OU's "SOUL Mission" which was started after Brent Venable's, Sooner's head ball coach, arrived on campus. They have gone to Africa and South America and done work with groups for people in those areas. I had the pleasure of getting to know Ethan and his family while attending college at Southwestern Oklahoma State. I even worked for his dad and lived with them for a summer. Ethan and I became great friends and watching him become who he is now, has been no surprise.
I asked Downs what he thought of the grind. His answer, nothing short of what I expected.
The grind is a complicated subject. It is much more than a mentality to me. There is a daily grind present in your moral decisions, physical choices, mental choices, and spiritual disciplines. Stacking days on the grind is hard. Having consistent effort towards your goals no matter the obstacles is really hard. - Ethan Downs
He also stated a few names that might sound familiar... David Goggins, Arnold Schwarnegger, Michael Jordan, Serena Williams. To him, these names have all done something similar in their own ways. He finds great inspiration, great motivation, from these people and goes even further by saying, "these men and women achieving their goals through obstacles is unlike any self motivation."
Downs also mentioned his faith.
If you find yourself going through the motions of life, find your why and you will find yourself. Jesus gives me purpose and identity. It is easy to become distracted and put life on auto-pilot. Jesus calls believers to embrace the hard because he can bear our burdens. Pour your cup out everyday and He will fill it up again! - Ethan Downs
Ethan believes he was put here for more than just football. He believes God has given him a mission to live differently. This is his "grind".
I believe that Downs and Lucero both make great points. Embrace it. Whatever that grind of yours is, embrace it, don't dread it. Next, is to find what your grind is. Is it leading in front of the pack? Is it simply laying low and doing things for people not in the spotlight? Maybe, your grind is work, school, etc. The point is to do everything with a purpose. Have an outward perspective, not inward. This, in itself, can be a grind. The world culture right now is self fulfilling. Don't worry about anyone else except yourself. The grind, in one way, can be about putting others first.
What is your grind?