When I was a young child, I one day got the idea that I was going to dig a hole to the center of the Earth. Perhaps I had read Jules Verne’s book or something like it, but I believed that if I just put in enough effort each and every day, I could eventually strike the center. So, I started digging.
At first, I was excited. But soon the compacted clay soil became increasingly difficult to chisel away. I encountered big rocks that were not easy to dislodge. Still, I am proud to say that I eventually dug a hole deep enough that I could stand in it and just barely see over the top. I did not reach the center of the Earth, of course. One morning, I was perplexed to find that my hole had filled with water.
Anyway, I left that experience with a pretty good idea of what it means to literally dig deep.
Years later—41 years to be exact—I was running my first marathon. Everything was going great. I was keeping up with the 3:30 pacer, cruising along a long downhill stretch. The sun was out. The group I was running with was cheerful. A band was playing. I was excited. Mile 20 was behind me, and I was feeling strong.
Then I hit the wall—both literally and figuratively. Someone was even holding a sign that read, “Welcome to the wall.” Unbeknownst to me, the last six miles of the marathon were on a steady uphill climb. The incline gradually increased, and by the very end, the grade was at its steepest.
That’s when things began to fall apart. My muscles ached. My arms hurt. My brain hurt. It was hot. I felt faint. The 3:30 pacer had left me behind, and the 4:00 pacer was closing in. If I was going to hit my goal of a sub-4:00 marathon, I would have to dig deep.
Which I did. And I just barely crossed the finish line ahead of the 4:00 pacer.
This is digging deep—one of the few idioms in the English language that is actually a literal metaphor. Digging a deep hole is hard work, and so is sticking with something when things get really difficult and discouraging. The image of digging deep into your soul and finding the resolve to push forward is a powerful one to hold onto in your darkest moments.
For me, the times when I’ve had to dig the hardest have always been emotional. Times when I felt discouraged. When it seemed like the world was stacked against me. When the darkness started closing in and little demons became constant companions—self-doubt, cynicism, hopelessness. And in those moments, when the weight was at its worst, that’s when I had to dig deep—deeper than I thought possible—and find something below all the fatigue and fear. Something I could use to rise up and keep going.
So, are you tired? Discouraged? Deflated? Defamed? Is the challenge you’re facing brutal?
Maybe it’s time to dig deeper.
Find that extra effort. That hidden determination. That inner resolve. That passionate strength that will lift you off the ground and carry you forward.
When everything feels senseless, when progress feels nonexistent—dig deeper. Put your shoulder to the wheel. Grit your teeth. And press on.
Because what lies beneath may just be the very thing that saves you.
