As we drove in between meetings a few weeks back, a client paid me a comment that I took as a compliment. I’m not certain that was his intention.
He told me that he had never met someone that “enjoyed” pain as much as me. My little ears could hardly believe what they were hearing. My brain lit up like a neural network at a dopamine party of epic proportions. I smiled and said nothing.
Here is the truth. I do NOT enjoy pain. I have come to “embrace” acute pain. I have embracced this kinda pain only in recent years and only after trying every other avenue from here to there. I’ve found that avoiding pain on this journey is like signing up for detour after detour. You know the shortest way home is the direct route but you choose to take a series of nearly endless detours instead. All to avoid a little pain. Pay the toll. Accept the acute pain that comes with the territory. Embrace this kinda pain.
Pain, remember, is inevitable. Misery is a choice. Choose to embrace acute pain now.
Every leader that I work with and every team that we build must apply this principle if they are to become ONE, and really perform to their potential. You do not need to enjoy this pain. You do need to embrace this pain. This word difference makes a world of difference.
Embrace acute pain, my friend.
Peace is found, remember, on the other side…
BUILT TO LEAD 
I do not like the pain either. Some think I do. Sometimes I try very hard to talk myself out of doing the painful work because I know how bad it will hurt. But my experiene has taught me that everytime I do it any ways I like the result(s) after the pain and I am improving myself or a situation, etc. I like that. I’ve not ever regretted it yet.
For me, it helps to have other nut cases that know this truth too. They encourage me.
Thank you for all of the encouragers!
MM
Thanks FM. Yesterday was some serious, acute pain. Thanks for pushing me into it…