A man’s chariot went off the road and got stuck in a thick heap of mud. The chariot wouldn’t move forward. The man climbed out and looked at it, then prayed to Hercules, a god of strength, for his help. Hercules called down from Olympus, “Why don’t you put your shoulder into it and start pushing first before you ask for my help?”
Obstacles will be present as long as you’re alive. In other words: your chariot will inevitably be stuck sometimes. And when your chariot is stuck, instead of calling out for someone else to help you, really step back and ask yourself how you can help yourself. You are more capable than you realize. And one of the best ways to bring out that capability is to say, “If my life depended on me doing this, how would I do it?” Because if your life depended on your getting your proverbial chariot unstuck, my bet is on you to get it unstuck.
Effort is tough to measure, and to some degree, it can only truly be measured subjectively. In other words, you are the only person who knows how much effort you are really giving. However, the catch is that sometimes you might believe you are giving enough effort (or even all your effort), when in fact, you still have much more left to give. In that case, the key is to tell yourself that you can do it. Allow your mindset to be fully driven by the truth that you absolutely can get your chariot unstuck.
Adages become “old” for one reason: They’re good; and the old adage “You can do whatever you put your mind to” is excellent. It means if you can see yourself doing something, then you can do it. You can push, pull, or otherwise creatively find ways to get your chariot unstuck. See it. Believe it. And then do it. You don’t need Hercules; you have you.
Get your chariot unstuck.