🎙️ Podcast Episode: “The Work Is the Shortcut”
From the Running to Myself Podcast with Trisha Stanton
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Hey friends, welcome back to Running to Myself, where we talk about the real stuff—growth, struggle, mindset, and becoming the person you were made to be. I'm Trisha Stanton, and I’m so glad you’re here.
Today, I want to talk about something that came to me mid-workout—right in the middle of a moment I kind of wanted to quit. If you’ve ever found yourself asking, “Why is this still so hard?”—this one’s for you.
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So I was in the middle of my second set of split squats… and absolutely hating my life at that moment. If you’ve never done them, just trust me—they are brutal. They're the one exercise I dread most.
As I was pushing through that second set, watching myself in the mirror, all I could think was,
Why aren’t these getting easier? What am I missing? When will this feel better?
I mentally bookmarked that moment—I was going to ask my trainer why this exercise, no matter how many times I do it, still feels like a battle.
But then it hit me. I already knew the answer.
They’re not getting easier because I haven’t done enough reps at the current weight.
And the moment I do get stronger? She’ll increase the weight again.
It will be hard all over again.
Because the goal isn’t for it to feel easy.
The goal is for me to grow.
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And right there—in that sweaty, shaky moment—I realized something about life too.
We want shortcuts, don’t we?
We want the magic formula that will finally make things click.
We want transformation without the tension.
Progress without the process.
But the reason it’s still hard?
It’s because we’re still becoming.
We’re not on the other side yet because we’re not meant to be—not yet.
That struggle? That resistance?
It’s the work of becoming.
The effort is the path.
The pain? The reps? They’re not a punishment. They’re preparation.
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So if you're listening to this in the middle of a hard season—whether it's parenting, personal growth, building something new, or healing something old—I want you to know:
You’re not doing it wrong just because it’s hard.
You’re doing it right.
And that voice in your head that whispers,
“Shouldn’t this be easier by now?”—
Answer it back with:
"It’s not supposed to be easy. It’s supposed to make me stronger."
The work is the shortcut.
Not the podcast.
Not the planner.
Not the Pinterest board or productivity hack.
It’s the reps. The real ones. The ones that take your breath away and make you question if you’re cut out for this.
You are.
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So here’s what I want you to sit with this week:
* Where in your life are you hoping for a shortcut?
* What would change if you fully accepted the effort as part of the process, not proof that you’re behind?
* What “reps” do you need to keep showing up for, even when they’re hard?
Write it down. Pray about it. Sit with it. And then get back in the game.
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You’re not behind.
You’re not weak.
You’re not lost.
You’re just still becoming.
And that means the hard part isn’t a detour—it’s the road.
Keep showing up. Keep pressing forward.
The strength is in the reps.
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If this episode resonated with you, I’d love to hear from you.
Leave a review on Apple or Spotify, or send me a message—I always love hearing your stories and walking alongside you.
And if you’re in a season where the work feels especially heavy, I’d love to support you through one-on-one coaching.
You can book a free consultation at trishastanton.com.
Thanks for being here, and remember: Mindset matters.
Talk to you next time!
