No pain, no gain is an expression many people use to find the motivation to get into better physical shape.  For years I have thought it was a philosophy that missed the mark. Who wants to experience pain? Nobody. But recent experiences have led me back to this phrase and the absolute genius it provides in its simplicity. I believe now that there was much more truth in it than I ever could have conceived. No pain, no gain.

But recent experiences have led me back to this phrase and the absolute genius it provides in its simplicity. I believe now that there was much more truth in it than I ever could have conceived. No pain, no gain.

No Pain No Gain is a Part of Life

“Life is pain.” That is a line from  The Princess Bride, and it is true. Many will look at that statement and think that all we have in life is pain, which is not valid. All people have a mixture of happiness, triumph, disappointment, love, anger, and of course, pain. Yet pain will be a constant part of your life because, in all things you attempt, there is a chance for the pain to occur.

Pain is everywhere. When you love, there is a chance for pain if it doesn’t work out or you lose that loved one. In your job, there is a chance for failure and despair. If you have kids, there is a chance for pain. Whenever something doesn’t work out ideally, there is a chance for pain.

As we all know, life rarely works out perfectly, and the result is pain. There is pain in rejection, defeat, failure, or criticism of others.   It is not the pain itself that stops you from excelling. It is the fear of that pain that does this. No pain, no gain.

Don’t Hide

So that fear can make you hide from the chance of experiencing pain. It will make you find a safe place and sit there hoping that nothing terrible happens. Don’t try anything risky, or you might be hurt. The problem with this is that no person ever found their greatness by hiding safely in the corner to avoid criticism of others. There are many different kinds of potential dangers in life. Each brings its sort of pain, but through this pain, there is also a lesson.

Learn to leave your fear of pain and disappointment on the shores of the ocean as you cast your line and start to sail toward whatever dream it is that you think is essential. No pain, no gain.

No Guarantees Other than Pain

There are absolutely no guarantees that success will come to you. That is life. All you can control is your thought, your effort, and your direction on any day. They will take you to the places that you want to go. There may be lessons you need to learn, experiences that you need to have, or challenges to overcome that will move you toward your goals and dreams. Embrace them and look at them from that frame of mind. Don’t be afraid of others.

Embrace them and look at them from that frame of mind. Don’t be afraid of what others think because it doesn’t matter unless you choose to let it. Learn your lesson and move forward, and eventually, there is no place to end up other than success.  These significant gains are made only through the existence of pain. Be grateful and understand that no pain, no payment is valid in life.