Beatings will continue until morale improves.
The phrase “The beatings will continue until morale improves” reflects the idea that morale, especially in a military unit or other hierarchical environments, will improve through the use of punishment. (Federal new network, 2022)
How does one relate this to personal perspectives? Everyone talks about building new goals, the whole “new year, new me” mindset, right? We’ve all done it: “Tomorrow is day one; we’re going to the gym, we’re going to get jacked! We’re going to be healthy and live our best lives.”
Indeed, those habits may begin temporarily and subsequently, voilà, they’re done! But that’s because it’s too difficult. I once saw a video of a gentleman on TikTok who started his weight loss journey. He said that in the beginning, he would drive past the gym for a period of time but not enter. Gradually, he began to visit for 5 minutes, and so on.
Undertaking arduous activities we are not accustomed to, I refer to them as beatings. In the original quote, punishment will continue until the situation has improved. In context, all these elements will be beneficial, even though they seem like chores and are tedious initially.
Some folks work 9-5 and sit for long durations, consider the health benefits you acquire from taking a 5-minute walk or jog. (speaking to myself here:) Such activities are hard to begin and even to carry out, but go ahead and take the leap, then incrementally increase.
The reason why I refer to the difficult tasks as beatings in the early stages is because, once you reach an equilibrium point where you’re accustomed and begin to truly reap the benefits, the beatings cease due to the fact that the activities are no longer strenuous to partake in. We know, good things in life don’t come easy. Suppose you don’t do any extra health activity but remain seated all day. Once you start putting in some physical effort, initially you might even feel an increase in discomfort but slowly the benefits start creeping in like slow poison.
Now if you’re considering starting a new hobby, setting a new goal or being more consistent in your efforts towards a certain task. Remember, it’s not effortless. Good habits don’t come easy; The beatings will continue once you’ve begun, but the rewards are worth it. We don’t see founders who have successfully exited putting in all their hard work. We don’t praise people for what they are doing but rather for what they have done & accomplished as the fruit of their labor is a culmination for all their work.
In ending, until you reach consistency in performing certain tasks, the waters will always be beating and never calm. “The beatings will stop once morale improves”.