“Your blessing in life is when you find the torture you’re comfortable with.”
How hard should one have to work for results? How do you know when you’re really giving it your all? I am naturally suspicious of things which come too easily. When the deal’s too good or the answer’s too simple, my gut tells me I’m missing something. The truth is, if I haven’t suffered a little for it, I can never be sure of the value of what I’ve earned.
When you’re learning a new skill, be it proficiency with a new piece of software, or a deep understanding of the ins-and-outs of real estate law, there’s a kind of discomfort which settles in. Your development requires it. They call them “growing pains” for a reason, after all.
Though it is true some people have an aptitude for certain skills, and can make it look easy, you can be sure they have only fallen short of their true potential if they’ve never felt themselves challenged along the way. If, in a pursuit, you haven’t found yourself fantasizing about how much nicer it would be to quit, then maybe you need to push yourself a little harder.
I say: Play for the pain. It’s the only real proof you’re pushing yourself, the only internal confirmation that the struggle will be worth it in the end. And if along the way it gets easier, take heart: It only means you’re capable of achieving greater heights.
