If you have played sports (or even watched a lot of sports) you have probably heard that “there is a difference between being hurt and being injured.”  The explanation goes like this.  After you have played in a tough, competitive season, everyone is hurt.  Everyone is sore.  Muscles are tired and you have some bumps and bruises.

You can play hurt.

But being injured is different.  Being injured means your pain goes deeper.  You have a broken ankle a severely sprained knee.  You will not be able to play on it well, and it will hurt your team.  And doing so will make the injury far worse.

You can play hurt…but you can’t play injured.

I was thinking of this analogy the other day when it comes to business.  So much progress is stopped in business (and in other areas of our life) because we are just not feeling it.  We are tired and mentally sore.  Maybe you have made those sales calls all week, and nothing seems to work.  You have written that blog and no one is reading it.  Or maybe you have worked out all week, and have not seen any decrease on the scale.

In that instance, you are hurt.  You can play hurt.

That’s when it’s time to do just one more.

On the other hand, there are times when we reach our breaking point.  We are up against our own mental health and we need a sincere break.  As I said above, “you will not be able to play on it well, and it will hurt your team.  And doing so will make the injury far worse.”  At that point, you might be injured.

The challenge, of course, is that when it comes to this type of challenge, only you can tell the difference.  It’s up to you.

For most people I see though, we want to give up way too early.  If you are ready for a breakdown, you might have an injury.  But for many, they are just frustrated that the results are not coming fast enough.

Be willing to play hurt.

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