The Gift of Pressure

Pressure.

Bernoulli defines pressure as a force that decreases when the velocity of fluid increases.

Merriam-Webster defines pressure as the burden of physical or mental distress.

I’ve heard many things in my time like: pressure makes diamonds or pressure is a privilege, but where does this pressure in our lives come from? Is it pressure to succeed at work? Pressure from your parents to land a high paying job? Pressure from your bank account to work more? While all these circumstances could be true, I’ve found that pressure I put on myself is greater than any of these external forces tenfold. What’s the reason for this? Internal drive and ambition? Maybe. Expectation that I should have it all figured out? Definitely.

When I say all figured out I mean: how to do my job effectively, to be in a long term relationship, to know how to walk in the faith correctly, to know how to be financially literate, to have a profitable side venture, to accumulate generational wealth, to have a dominant Fantasy Football team, to know how to cook Bib Gourmand meals. Maybe I got a little carried away and I’m a dreamer, I want to know how to do all of these things at a point, but that’s what this post graduate period is for. To fail. To learn. To live. To experience every aspect of life. It shouldn’t be a period of just extreme pressure, but extreme growth. Don’t try to eliminate pressure completely.

A popular saying I left out is “[Pressure] should be a powerful driving force, not an obstacle.” Embrace this time, embrace this growth, and be intentional about your expectations for yourself. Lastly, don’t compare yourself to someone else’s journey, we’re all on different clocks and try to look at your growth weekly. Be your biggest supporter.

See you next week.