Go To The Pain Rather Than Avoid It

The key is to fail, learn, and improve quickly.

Pain + Reflection = Progress

There is no avoiding pain, especially if you’re going after ambitious goals. You are lucky to feel that kind of pain if you approach it correctly, because it is a signal that you need to find solutions so you can progress. If you can develop a reflexive reaction to psychic pain that causes you to reflect on it rather than avoid it, it will lead to your rapid learning/evolving. After seeing how much more effective it is to face the painful realities that are caused by your problems, mistakes, and weaknesses, I believe you won’t want to operate any other way. It’s just a matter of getting in the habit of doing it.

If you’re not failing, you’re not pushing your limits, and if you’re not pushing your limits, you’re not maximizing your potential.

The irony is that if you choose the healthy route, the pain will soon turn into pleasure. The pain is the signal!

You will become hooked on:

• Identifying, accepting, and learning how to deal with your weaknesses,
• Preferring that the people around you be honest with you rather than keep their negative thoughts about you to themselves, and,
• Being yourself rather than having to pretend to be strong where you are weak.

Notes from “Principles” by Ray Dalio