Grind to rise

The phrase is "Grind and Rise," but I prefer to give it a subtle edit.

"Grind and Rise" implies a motivational message to start something that requires effort. Getting out of bed, exercising every day, sitting down to write your doctoral thesis, traveling across the country by planes and rented cars to visit potential clients in the hottest time of the year. "Grind and Rise" is a stoic way of viewing life. Working hard is the only path to reaching your goal.

While "Rise" is the Instagram-worthy photo you share with joy and a hint of pride, "Grind" is the opposite. It's that silent effort you repeat day in and day out in the solitude of your thoughts.

You don't tell anyone that you "grind" your daily coffee because that's the only way to ensure you get the utmost freshness that completely changes your days.

You don't tell anyone about the fierce battle you're waging with your brain while (attempting) to swim a kilometer at 6 in the morning.

You don't tell anyone about the frustration of reading 10 scientific articles from which you can only extract a single paragraph as a reference for your thesis work.

You don't tell anyone about the tiredness you carry while waiting in a crowded room at a tiny airport, still working to get home in the early hours and start all over again the next day.

"Grind" is a concept related to dull and unglamorous activities that lead you to (supposedly) better places.

In a video game, "you grind" against many lower-level opponents to level up.

A writer or copywriter must (attempt to) write 10 books before honing in on a bestseller.

An actor must rehearse the same scene 40 times before successfully conveying the drama the director demands.

A sales executive must open 20 opportunities before closing a deal.

The goals that drive you to get up every day are filled with an ungrateful verb: grind. That's why I believe the phrase "Grind and Rise" should be modified to "Grind to Rise."

Do you agree?

Contrary to popular belief, the summit isn't at the top of the mountain but on the rough and slippery path you have to tread to get there. Of course, the goal is to plant the flag up there and take the photo, but true satisfaction comes from the effort during the ascent. To touch the summit, you had to grind and grind again, read and reread, write and rewrite, prospect and prospect again.

If "Grind and Rise" motivates you in your 40s or beyond, that's fine. I'm just questioning the logic of the phrase. You don't grind and then rise. To rise, you have to grind a lot every day. Keep pushing.

What I'm Reading:

"A Really Good Day" by Ayelet Waldman. It reviews her life story, determined by a personality disorder that keeps her in a constant state of alert due to a complicated childhood. After trying all remedies and therapies to lighten her days, she turns to micro-dosing to make her life more bearable and find a state of flow in all aspects of life.

What I'm Trying:

I've added a new twist to my morning routine that has me quite pleased. A brief 3,000-step walk along the tree-lined paths of my new neighborhood. Quickly, this new habit has become my favorite 10 minutes of the day.

¡Vamos Carajo!

Fran Michavilal