PURSUE THE PAIN

Who says you can't be special?

Without pain, without sacrifice, we would have nothing.

— Fight Club

In my last newsletter, I said you are not special, and that position remains the same. You are not special, but you can be work yourself to become unique. You can work yourself to shine brighter than them all. This can only be done through the pain.

Nothing worthwhile stems from a place devoid of pain. Nothing phenomenal comes easy, and that is why many people on this earth move through life without lighting up the fire inside of them, because they craved and followed ease.

Let's take a diamond for example. Do you know that what is now shining brightly and is evidently worth more than an arm and a leg is no better, inherently than that uncut diamond in the rough that hasn't been washed and so it is considered as a worthless stone? What's the difference? One has pursued and passed through pain. They are inherently worth the same thing, none is special, but one gave itself to pain and process.

The same is the story of gold, silver, and of steel. Even pearls aren't left out. You know how pearls are formed? They are a result of the discomfort of Oysters caused by a parasite.

When a parasite gets into the shell of an Oyster, it tries to get it out by all means, so it painfully sheds materials that make up its shell. This is how you get beautiful pearls that lady for more than a century.

Notice the central theme for all things special and beautiful. Pain.

Unpopular opinion: If where you are right this minute, at this point in your life isn't causing at least some discomfort, then you are in the wrong place, except you believe you are special, and you are already at your final destination.

No story worth listening is without pain and threshing. Every sparkly, shiny item you see around, every person of value today who you'd consider special were either forced into pain, or pursued it.

If you already consider yourself special based on some faux privilege, then you need to stand up from where you are and pursue the pain, except, again you are already at your bus stop and there's nothing else to achieve in your life; no other potential to explore.

You know, we are like the diamond, and the gold, and the steel, and the silver, and the pearl. The only thing that will set you apart from your kind, the only thing that will make you phenomenal and 'special' is pain.

If you live all your life experiencing comfort, not putting yourself out there, not risking anything, not depriving yourself of anything, you will remain sorely mundane and never explore the potential of becoming special that resides in everyone.

The few that pursue the pain are the ones who become special. Ask anybody who is a success today, and you will know that although this is not what you want to hear, this is the truth. It is not an easy truth, but it is the truth.

What is the action point now? Pursue the pain. Your comfort zone will not give you the comfort that truly matters. No man made of his comfort zone creates anything worthwhile. He does not even leave a dent upon the earth. He becomes like a flicker of light that never lit anything up. No impact.

This is not the kind of life that anybody should live. This is why I ask you today, learn to pursue the pain. Learn to pursue for long. Learn to stay in the process. Endure the pain in whatever venture. And if you are already on course, don't give up now.

Do you want to make a life for yourself? Do you want a life set apart, a life truly phenomenal? Decide today, you will leave your comfort zone and pursue the pain.

To your growth,

Abiola Okunsanya,

Handzinspired.