“Difficulties strengthen the mind, as labour does the body.”
― Seneca
This is true for both only in the presence of subsequent rest, recovery and adaptation.
The act of physical exercise itself does not make us stronger. Quite the opposite. Running long distances or lifting heavy things only serves to tear muscle and deplete energy stores. It is in the period after we do the damage, the space we give ourselves for restorative movement, stillness and proper nutrition that we repair and adapt.
So too with the mind. Constant input and processing without the counterpart of rest is not only a sure road to burnout but a missed opportunity for growth. When we take time out from ‘the work’ we allow our brains time to regenerate, to create new pathways, to strengthen our myelin sheath. This kind of growth does not happen in the same way or to the same extent if we simply keep ourselves under constant stress.
It’s when we repeat this cycle of mental loading and deloading. It’s when we throw ourselves into the arena and then allow ourselves the space to recover that we become stronger.