The biggest hurdle you’ll ever have to overcome in life isn’t failure, bad luck, or other people it’s you. More specifically, it’s the excuses you make when no one else is watching.
Breaking a promise you made to yourself is dangerously easy. There’s no awkward conversation, no disappointed faces, no immediate consequences. You’re not letting anyone else down. You’re not inconveniencing anyone. So when the nerves kick in, the anxiety pipes up, and that familiar inner voice says, “Let’s just do it another day,” it’s very tempting to listen.
The problem is, “another day” is a myth. Tomorrow never really arrives it just keeps getting rescheduled.
When those voices start, that’s usually the exact moment you need to push back and say, “No. Today is the day.” Because growth rarely shows up when you feel ready, motivated, and glowing with confidence. It shows up when you feel uncomfortable, unsure, and slightly annoyed that you ever made the plan in the first place.
Take last weekend as an example.
I woke up feeling absolutely rotten sore throat, headache, fever, the full dramatic package. Normally, that would’ve meant staying in bed, feeling sorry for myself, and convincing myself that rest was the “responsible choice” (while secretly enjoying the excuse to do nothing).
But this was the first weekend of the new year. I’d made a commitment to myself to get out, explore, and create. And I knew that if I bailed this time, it would be easier to bail the next time… and the time after that… until suddenly the year was gone.
So I wrapped up, grabbed my camera, and headed out anyway.
I told myself I didn’t need to be out all day. I just needed to show up. And as a reward for my bravery (and mild suffering), I promised myself brunch afterward. Motivation comes in many forms.
What started as a reluctant outing turned into one of those quietly rewarding days that reminds you why you bothered in the first place.
I learned two important things.
First: there is real beauty everywhere if you actually look for it.
I’ve lived in Manchester for years and walked the same streets countless times, but I’d never really seen them. This time, I went out with intention. Suddenly the graffiti popped with colour. The contrast between old brick buildings and modern glass towers stood out. The city felt alive again, not just something I passed through on autopilot.
Second and I say this with great personal shame.. I discovered that I like matcha.
Yes. Matcha.
I ordered it fully expecting to confirm my long held belief that it was just a pretentious green drink people pretended to enjoy. I was wrong. I get it now. I don’t like that I get it, but I do.
And I wouldn’t have discovered either of these things if I’d stayed in bed wrapped in self-pity and tissues.
That’s the thing about pushing yourself, you don’t always uncover something profound. Sometimes you just learn that your city is beautiful, your camera still excites you, and your taste buds are capable of personal growth.
But those small discoveries add up.
So the next time you feel like cancelling on yourself, remember: the hardest promises to keep are the ones no one else is holding you accountable for.
And sometimes, the reward for showing up is a great photo, a new perspective… and a drink you swore you’d never like.
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