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Pain Is Part of The Process
Pain Is Part of The Process
Process
Mark is the three-time #1 New
York Times bestselling author of
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck
as well as other titles. His books
written by MARK MANSON have sold around 20 million
filed under HAPPINESS | MOTIVATION | PERSONAL VALUES copies, been translated into more
than 65 languages, and reached
number one in more than a
dozen countries. In 2023, a
feature film about his life and
ideas was released worldwide by
Universal Pictures.
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These traumatic experiences shaped his study of pain and trauma, leading to
groundbreaking insights that are still relevant today.
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He argued that a certain amount of psychological pain is necessary for growth and
self-improvement. According to Dąbrowski, some degree of pressure and stress
could bring out the best in people, forcing them to confront their limitations and
evolve.
His ideas were revolutionary but remained largely unknown due to the Iron
Curtain separating Eastern and Western academics.
Here, I briefly go over some ideas on psychological pain from before and after
Dąbrowski’s time that echo his stance—pain as a valuable part of the process of life
—and highlight a few takeaways that you can apply to your own.
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By learning from our struggles and embracing the lessons they teach us, we can
become better, more resilient people.
It’s far from a straightforward process, but many factors have been identified that
contribute to it. I’ve written about them here if you’re interested in digging deeper.
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Buddha’s central message was about letting go of the mental pain and meaning we
attach to our struggles. By recognizing that we have the power to decide how we
interpret pain, we can use it as an opportunity for growth and self-improvement.
Do we see our struggles as pointless and blame everyone else for our suffering, or
do we imbue them with meaning and take on the responsibility of dealing with the
inevitable pain in our lives?
Unfortunately, we often overlook the problems and sacrifices that come with these
goals. This constant yearning for something more or better is both a blessing and a
curse.
On the one hand, it keeps us motivated to survive and improve, but on the other, it
can prevent us from finding lasting happiness and contentment.
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The trick is to realize that happiness is a byproduct of a full life, not a goal in itself.
It’s one of those things in life where the more we run toward them, the further they
move away.
Let go of the illusion that if only you had X, you’d be happy. Accept your pain as
part and parcel of life. Then let happiness find you.
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