Hard is a mindset
that makes things
seem hard.
Things get done,
unless we give
into the mind set.
Then we say
“it was too hard.”
Some people enjoy
triumphing over “hard.”
Others enjoy
using “hard” as an excuse.
The thought of “hard”
creates opposition,
as though there is
someone or something
working against us.
And so there is.
We weave “hard” into
our identities as victors or victims.
Hard is good. Unless it’s bad.
It’s never hard to imagine.
Trail Wood,
10/20/20
Hard: The Mental Mold
“Hard” is less a condition and more a mental stencil through which we perceive and interpret our reality. We manufacture this psychological frame and apply it liberally to situations, essentially shaping our experiences through this cognitive mold. If we deem something “hard,” then it gains the semblance of difficulty, wearing the illusory cloak we’ve woven for it.
Triumph or Excuse
The concept of “hard” serves as a fork in the road. One path leads to triumph; the other to excuses. In this dichotomy, “hard” becomes either a mountain to conquer or an insurmountable obstacle. It becomes an intricate part of our narrative, transforming us either into victors overcoming challenges or victims besieged by them.
The Oppositional Dance
This mindset conjures opposition, giving birth to an imaginary adversary. Whether that adversary is a task, a person, or even an aspect of ourselves, it exists because we will it into existence. In essence, we script a drama where there’s a palpable tension between us and the conceived hardness of a situation.
Victors and Victims
When we brand something as “hard,” we are making an existential choice. We can become conquerors, breaking down barriers and transcending self-imposed limitations. Or, we find ourselves entangled in the web of victimhood, where the complexity and challenge are too profound to navigate. It’s an elective identity, shaped by the sculpting hands of our own thoughts.
The Limitless Imagination
Regardless of how we engage with the concept of “hard,” one realm remains untouched by its elusive complexity: imagination. In the fantasphere of our minds, “hard” dissolves, becoming a mere whisper, an echo, a vanishing mist. Here, in this boundless arena, we are neither victors nor victims; we are creators.
We are Space Monkey.
Summary
We explore the concept of “hard,” deconstructing it as a mindset that can shape our experiences and identity. Depending on how we engage with this notion, we can become either victors overcoming challenges or victims limited by them. Regardless, in the unbounded landscape of our imagination, the concept of “hard” holds no power.
Glossarium
- Cognitive Mold: The mental framework that shapes our perception and experience.
- Dichotomy: A division or contrast between two opposing elements.
- Fantasphere: A whimsical term for the limitless realm of imagination.
“Everything you can imagine is real.”
— Pablo Picasso
Hard
Hard, a concept—
An artist’s brush on canvas,
A chisel on stone.
But in the fantasphere,
Concepts melt—
And we are the art,
Forever in the making.
What might be the art we create when we discard the brush of “hard” and engage with the boundless colors of our fantasphere?
Leave a Reply