There will come a time when you can just no longer take it. That’s when you grow even more.

Growing a long beard is a metaphor for sticking to something uncomfortable. So, for women or people in which this is not possible, consider the beard a simple daily challenge you must adhere to for months!

(Beard growth from March 10 — June 10)

This photo to the left represents three months of consistency. It depicts 90 days of resilience, silencing naysayers, and overcoming moments of fear and doubt. Growing a beard like this has been a tumultuous journey that took intense focus each and every day. It was a process that never left my mind. And it’s a process that is no different than the adventures of somebody destined for success.

When I finally shaved my beard, I reflected on how similar these last three months have been to my time as a writer pursuing exciting and challenging goals day in and day out. The photos may be silly, but the lessons are some of the most serious I can ever showcase. Whether you are a writer, singer, entrepreneur, CEO, student, or reader, these takeaways are universal when it comes to facing and conquering challenges in your life.

You Must Embrace Your Level of Commitment

I took this photo above about halfway through my beard growing extravaganza. It was a time in which I had doubts. I had struggles. I had worries. It was a moment in which I came so close to grabbing my buzzer and chopping the entire thing off my face. How easy that would have been.

But I did not.

I powered through. I committed to growing a beard for three months, and I was not going to call myself a quitter. I was going to stick to what I set out to do.

Your journey is going to take a long time. You may not feel like you are a success for weeks, months, or even years. There are going to be moments where you want to drop everything. There are going to be moments when you want to go back to the way things were. But this would be taking the easy way out.

You became extraordinary because you want to set yourself apart. You want to feel different, think different, act different. Pushing through these moments of adversity allow you to do just that. Committing yourself to the journey for the long haul is one of the greatest indicators of how much you will achieve in your endeavors.

You’re Going to Be Shockingly Uncomfortable

A few weeks ago, I woke up in the middle of the night to a tingling sensation on my upper lip. It was my mustache, and it was so itchy. I scratched and I scratched, but no matter how much I did, I could not get rid of the irritation. I thought I’d be up for hours before it went away. But, in that moment I realized that instead of fighting the discomfort, I had to accept it. I had to own it. Instead of sleeping with my face on the pillow like usual, I slept on my back, so my mustache didn’t rub up against the pillowcase. The irritation was gone, and my discomfort was mitigated.

Achieving something unimaginable is going to hurt. It’s going to be prickly and irritating, and you are going to feel like you are fighting for hours before finally making a little progress. But it’s essential that you welcome the unknown. It’s important that you try something different. You have to expand yourself in ways you never thought were even possible. Comfort is the enemy of progress. So get uncomfortable and reap the rewards.

You’re Going to Feel More Different than You Ever Have Before

The other day, I met up with a few friends to play in a golf tournament. When we were picking teams, one of my buddies decided to take a little jab at me, and he said, “Let’s split the teams up. Crazy beards against normal beards. Welp, looks like it’s everyone against Jordan.”

I looked different than everyone else so in turn I felt different than everyone else. But this is the path I chose. It was my decision to grow this beard, and I was not going to let that stop me.

Doing something remarkable is going to feel different than anything you’ve ever done before. It’s going to be different from what your friends are doing. Your family may not understand what you’re doing. Former colleagues may question your every move and not be able to empathize. But this is why remarkable people are a certain type of individual. We want to be different so that we can truly make a difference.

You Will Have Your Doubters

Every single time I saw my mom in the last 90 days, she said something along the lines of, “When are you going to shave that awful beard?” She’d try her best to get me to shave it by telling me how handsome I used to look, and how she just wanted to see my beautiful face again. But I didn’t budge. I would just smile and move forward.

People are going to doubt you. They’re going to question your motivation. They’ll try to break down your business model, your scaling capabilities, your revenue structure. But you must not let that bring you down. There will be snide remarks and jealous comments, but you must use that as fuel for your growth. These things are indicators that you are on the right path. Just smile and move forward.

You Will Always Be Talking About It

No matter who I spoke to over the last few months, there was always some mention of my beard. It was always a conversation starter, a point of disagreement, or to some, a moment of praise. I had to get used to always talking about my face, which was a challenge, but it become familiar after a bit.

When deciding to go down the path less traveled, you must realize that it can quickly become your everything. Others will ask you how it’s going. It will always be on your mind. It will often be all-consuming. You must get comfortable and confident talking about your business. Be proud of the work you are doing, and share it with the world.

You’ll Realize All the Work You’ve Done Along the Way

Three months of hard work, all wrapped up in one picture. Every strand, every clump, every inch of growth accumulated into one pile. I look back on this with the fondest of memories.

It’s essential to stop and realize all that you have achieved. Think about the lives you have impacted. Think about the difference you have made. Each idea, each product, each sale is a direct representation of all of the growth you have made.

You’ll Come Out Looking Like A Totally Different Person

To be truthful, I didn’t even recognize me in this picture. I had changed so much, grew so much, learned so much, I came out on the other side a totally new person.

The same goes for your journey to the unimaginable. No matter what happens with your dream, the experience in and of itself will completely transform you as a human being. So long as you pay careful attention to who that person is becoming, it is a new version of you that you will love and adore.