In Greek mythology, Sisyphus was punished for his hubris and lie and condemned to roll a boulder to the top of a hill only to watch it roll back down to the bottom, a cycle he had to continue for eternity.

Our daily routines can start to feel like this Sisyphean effort. We show up, try hard, and still don’t feel like we’re making progress. We feel stuck, repeating the same things over and over, like Bill Murray’s character in the classic film Groundhog Day.

How long could you continue this pattern before you got frustrated, gave up, or burned out? If you want to master the ups and downs of training, performance, and life in general, you’ll need to learn how to detach yourself from the outcome, learn to love the process, and find a way to enjoy the ride itself.

In The Myth of Sisyphus, Albert Camus suggested that we imagine Sisyphus happy.

I like this, because happiness is found in the pursuit of your potential, in the development of your Self. The enjoyment of life is in the process, in the journey, not in the result or the destination. Happiness is an action, it isn’t passive. You don’t suddenly arrive at success or happiness and say to yourself, “Sweet! I made it! Now I’ll be happy forever!”

Just as we discussed in the paradox of project climbing, we are constantly pushing our limits, always striving towards our potential. Every new achievement opens the door to new climbs, new grades, and new training.

As soon as you arrive, as soon as you call it, you’re done! You’re no longer growing or developing.

Perhaps we feel like a sad, tired Sisyphus some days. We can forget that how we respond to our situation is a choice. It’s up to us. Even if we can’t control anything but our mindset, we still have the ability to control whether our situation is a punishment or a gratifying challenge.

Like Sisyphus, imagine yourself happy.