Nietzsche is often quoted for his stance on pain and discomfort, but sometimes when one is faced with surviving a challenge, often we’d prefer to remain weaker and avoid the trial altogether. This is frequently true when it involves speaking to someone difficult.
Think of a marathon runner. They train for hours, alter their lifestyles and make a commitment. When the race is over, they so often say “never again!”, and yet they always seem to think the time building up to the event was worth it.
Why would they think this way? How can suffering and pain be worth a medal or a ribbon?
The reward is much deeper than the ornament received. The reward is a sense of achievement, personal growth, and the significant knowing that “I can do it!”.
So too do the difficult conversations in life cause growth in a myriad of ways that we often can’t immediately see. It’s the knowledge that you got through it, and are a better person for the experience, which keeps humanity keeping on.
“There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered.”
Nelson Mandela
Without growing, we are stagnating. Without learning, we are propagating mediocrity. And without facing the difficult challenges, we are underestimating our own capacity.
