I was reading a book last week and it talked about the avoidance of pain…
We often think that life would be better if we could just avoid pain. On the surface it sounds good, but it’s completely the wrong way to look at it.
Let me explain…
Let’s say you wanted to avoid the pain of your 9-5 job. You don’t like your boss, your co-workers get on your nerves, even the commute is hard to bear.
“If only I could work for myself, life would be easy!” you mutter as you jam your key into the ignition for another long commute home.
But when you actually attain the freedom of being an entrepreneur, thereby killing the pain of your oppressive 9-5 – you generate a whole new set of pain, problems and resistance.
The pain of finding clients, figuring out invoicing, hiring a team, managing a schedule… the list goes on.
A few years ago I decided to get serious about my health. I hired a coach and lost 50 pounds. Was there pain in the process?
You bet!
The pain of being overweight and embarrassed was replaced by the pain of a restrictive diet, long grueling workouts, and a small social circle (who wants to go to lunch with the guy that brings his own perfectly portioned chicken and veggies?)
But when I lost 50 pounds (and placed top-5 in a “body transformation challenge” – story for another day) I knew the pain was worth it.
When I started my agency in January of last year there was a lot of resistance. I didn’t even know how to get paid by my first client (minor detail… in the end they wrote me a check since I couldn’t figure out Quickbooks in time). Since then, I’ve had the “pain” of big tax bills, starting a podcast, writing a book…
There have been many long nights – but here’s the kicker.
I love it!
I love the challenge and resistance I face. In a way it’s a righteous pain. It’s a pain I choose to endure because of my unfailing belief in my mission and company.
So, in the end, remember that the secret to a happy life is not about avoiding pain – there will always be pain and resistance. The secret is finding the pain and resistance that is worth enduring.
-Cody
P.S. This was taken from Ep. 053 of the Cody Builds a Business Podcast which you can find here.