“I hate the rocks,” she mumbled as we bounced down the river in our raft. We had just hit a big rock, taken on a bunch of water, and been spun around backwards.

We survived. It was all in good fun. We were rafting down a river in western North Carolina.

She hates the rocks? Huh? How can that be? The rocks are what make this fun. I don’t know much about white water and why it moves quickly, but it seems pretty clear to me that the rocks are an important element. Getting around the rocks is pretty much what this activity is all about.

Why Do Something You Hate?

If you hate the rocks, you’d probably be better off avoiding the rafting. Maybe she can sip iced tea from a rocker as she watches the river flow by? That strikes me as a better activity for someone who hates the rocks.

I was reminded of her “hate the rocks” comment when I heard a lawyer say “I hate the clients” the other day. Sure, the clients—like the rocks—are challenging. The clients can be annoying, and they can make it difficult to keep moving. But “hate the clients”? They’re the reason we’re here. Like the rocks, they make this possible.

If you hate the clients, then maybe you should get some tea and settle down in the rocker. There must be a better activity for you.