Determination
I’m a fan of all things superheroes. And one of my favorite series in that space is My Hero Academia. Aside from all the cool characters and fight scenes, one of the most interesting parts is the main character’s superpower: One For All. Aside from being one of the strongest powers in the entire world, it has 2 unique properties:
First, it’s transferrable; imagine if Captain America walked up to you and gave you his super strength.
Second, it’s so powerful that every time the main character uses it at full power, he breaks several bones in his body.
I’m not here to rant about anime; I’m here to talk about how these ideas have shown up for me.
I’ve been on the personal development train for almost 2 years now, and that often means pushing myself and aiming for goals that I question the possibility of. And when dealing with “the impossible”, my entire body and mind are often in resistance. So whatever sheer force of will I summon to push through that has to fight through myself.
And whether it’s asking strangers for signatures/donations/phone numbers, pushing my body to its physical limit, or interviewing for the job of my dreams, it feels powerful to even come close to success while aiming big and truly giving it my all in terms of willpower.
Resistance
It’s normal to develop a strong sense of restraint over time; restraint keeps safe by keeping us from risky situations. And it also keep me from being open to the world. Playing safe gets boring fast.
Sometimes, my inhibitions prevail, and I end up not pushing myself hard enough to succeed. I remember being afraid of heights (honestly, I still am). Whenever I’m about to jump off a high diving board, I might drag my feet and abruptly stop, then just peer over the edge.
Other times, I manage to push through all those reservations, and end up pushing feeling drained and exhausted on the inside. Almost like I just broke all my bones in delivering a blow with every ounce of power in my body.
Whether that’s pulling an all-nighter, approaching hundreds of strangers, or dancing like a maniac, it’s easy to feel drained after giving it my all on a particular goal. But I’m starting to feel fulfillment in that exhaustion. Which is why it’s valuable for me to create space to feel that “breakage”.
What doesn’t kill me makes me stronger. And that is definitely true when it comes to challenging my internal resistance.
Stretching
Every time I push the bounds of my comfort zone, my comfort zone gets just a little bigger. And with that, I find myself capable of taking on bigger and bigger challenges. And in the process, I find out that whatever fears were holding me back were just that: fears.
At the same time, that sense of comfort is just like a muscle: every stretch should be accompanied by a rest period, followed by a slightly bigger stretch. Trying to go too quickly to the max setting can result in tears, or in this context, a panic attack.
And it’s fun to stretch a little bit every now and then. There’s so many possibilities that can come from mixing things up and trying something new.
Inspiration
Just like the ability to pass One For All from one user to another, I’ve noticed a tendency for willpower and energy to be shared as well.
I find that I’m most willing to take risks and stretch myself when I’m near friends. And not just because I can trust them to catch and support me if I fall, but because their energy and love can feel empowering. And when I don’t fall, then they’ll be the first ones to cheer me on as I soar.
Similarly, I’d like to hope that my own determination rubs off on my friends and loved ones and inspires them to push themselves as much as I want to push myself.
