Jim Rohn

Pain vs. suffering

I have come to think of pain and suffering as two very different experiences. Pain is often what we go through when we choose to move whereas suffering can be what happens when we choose to stay. Sometimes suffering is the regret of the things we would have done if we had been willing to endure the pain required to do them. Leaving a situation can be painful. Having a difficult conversation can be painful. Starting again can be painful. Going to the gym can be painful. Yet, I rarely regret those experiences because I understand why I am experiencing the discomfort and the soreness reminds me that I did something that required effort.

Pain can be an accelerant to better times as sometimes the short-term discomfort is the price we pay for long-term freedom, growth or peace. The danger comes when we try to avoid both pain and suffering and we withdraw, and become numb. We stop taking risks, stop having difficult conversations and stop making the decisions we know we need to make. Avoiding pain does not necessarily mean we avoid suffering. Maybe this is why I walk towards the pain so I can avoid the suffering.

““We must all suffer from one of two pains: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. The difference is discipline weighs ounces while regret weighs tons.””
— Jim Rohn

Learn how to deal with no

Human beings fear two things more than anything else in the world: death and rejection. And research has shown that people fear rejection more than death, this is because we are biologically and historically wired to avoid getting thrown out of the tribe, so we do everything in our power to net get rejected. I think we have to change our interpretation of rejection as our brains are always trying to interpret everything – What does this mean and how can I protect you? Unfortunately, the brain is not always our best friend, so we have to learn how to reframe the stories we tell ourselves. Contact me via e-mail for sales training and workshops.

““Asking is the beginning of receiving. Ask the question, receive the answer. If you don’t ask, you don’t get.” ”
— Jim Rohn

Authenticity over algorithms

Many people consider kindness to be a weakness. I think it’s essential to be humble and kind, and also to know your worth. Remember, knowing your worth doesn't mean you have to be arrogant or dismissive of others. It means recognising your own value while respecting and appreciating the worth of others.

““Effective communication is 20% what you know and 80% how you feel about what you know.””
— Jim Rohn