The Two Kinds of Suffering
The hardest part in every journey of dreams is taking that first step
I disagree with the above statement!
The hardest part is not the first step, it’s way before that. It all starts in our mind.
The hardest part is to make a DECISION to fully commit to a pursuit and stick to it
But that’s not what fascinates me! The interesting part is that irrespective of your decision, you are going to suffer.
Sounds bizarre?
If you decide to commit, you will have to go through the process and “do what it takes” to achieve your goals. We all know “doing” is hard work. So, you are going to Willingly Suffer.
If you decide NOT to commit, but you know it’s good for you, then you may Unintentionally Suffer at some point in future.
Let’s take an example from a health and wellbeing perspective:
If you commit to giving time and energy to your wellbeing, you will Wilfully Suffer while exercising, making better food choices and doing things that may not be pleasurable in short term but reap long term benefits.
On the contrary, if you decide otherwise, you are likely going to Unintentionally Suffer in future because of the time and money you’ll spend on damage repair from years of an unhealthy lifestyle.
The same principle applies to other facets of our lives. Whether it’s committing to a relationship we desire, a new career opportunity or moving to a new place to start fresh.
We can always choose which kind of suffering we want
In my personal experience, the pain of indecision or regret is far more than the risk of failing even after working persistently with dedication.
How to Choose the Right Kind of Suffering?
Someone recently asked me a simple yet thought-provoking question — How do we decide to willingly suffer for something and stick to it?
Ask yourself these questions:
- Are you willing to suffer now so you can reap the benefits in future
- Do you feel it can be put on hold for now, and bear the consequences (if any) in future?
Once you make up your mind, it is all about accountability. Are you disciplined enough to hold yourself accountable? If not, can someone you look up to, hold you accountable? If nothing works, how about paying someone to keep you accountable? It all boils down to your self-awareness.
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