“Brandt, pain sucks! You know it hurts right?! Tell me, what’s so powerful about pain?”
Ah yes, great question, thank you for asking! I know a thing or two about this.
I used to think the same thing as well. Before we begin, let’s get clear about what I mean when I refer to ‘pain.’ Yes, I’m talking about physical pain, but, I’m also talking about mental and emotional pain. I used to resist pain because of the very same reason you might as well —> it hurts, it sucks, and it’s straight-up uncomfortable. For the longest time, I viewed pain as something that hurt me, not helped me. So, I would naturally resist it.
You know what I am talking about, right?
You might be grinding outside for a while on your craft, your muscles are sore, and you think you can’t go hard the next day because of the short-term pain you’re feeling. Or maybe you’re in class studying a topic you’re not necessarily interested in, and you tend to resist studying more because you ‘think’ you’ve done all you can tolerate. Or maybe, you went through a break-up for the first time, and you think, “This is the end of the world!” Emotionally, you’ve never felt this pain before, and you don’t know what to do. All you know is that you want it to go away! I can tell you firsthand that these are very real experiences that even I have GOTTEN to go through as I was growing up (notice how I said Gotten instead of had).
“Okay, Brandt, yeah, I’ve felt that, but how does this pain give me power?”
Another great question!
Here’s how I’ve gained power through the physical, mental, and emotional pain I’ve experienced:
1. You gain experience that you didn’t have before —> Think about this for a sec. This is an opportunity to go through something you haven’t gone through before. Yes, it will be uncomfortable, but remember what I said last week? We don’t learn anything when we’re comfortable! Therefore, we must be uncomfortable in order to grow. And the pain we feel in these situations awards us these opportunities.
2. You GET to test out your strength —> I remember when I first began to workout, things weren’t so easy. My body was sore every day for three weeks. And yes, there were some days when I did go to the gym when I shouldn’t have. I was able to tell myself that I wasn’t where I wanted to be, physically or mentally. Did I just quit after three weeks? Heck no! I made sure that I didn’t skip a day for the next three weeks until lifting became a part of my daily lifestyle. Through this, I was able to create better habits and grow as a player AND person.
3. You gain discipline —> Self-discipline is one of the most, if not the most, important qualities you can have. I’m not just talking about getting out on the field or in the gym. I’m talking about being aware of your thoughts and controlling them to view life in a way that benefits you. This is something that I still work on every single day. I’m always preaching to myself that there’s something to be learned in every adversity I face. We (Charlotte FC) have just lost two games in a row. In the short-term, it’s tough to see the positives because losing sucks! However, a negative situation can be made into an opportunity if I take the time to reframe it and discipline my thoughts to focus on what I can learn.
In the traditional BB13 fashion, you know I have to leave you with a quote. Here’s one of my favorite quotes on discipline:
“We must all suffer one of two things: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret.”
– Jim Rohn
The only workout I’ve regretted is the one I didn’t do. Adversity is only something I dislike when I lack self-discipline to learn anything from it. It’s the epitome of “cause and effect.” Discipline = freedom!
So, from here on out, practice using your pain to fuel you! Turn it into purpose! Use it to propel you toward your goals and dreams!
I believe in you! Never forget that!
KEEP GRINDING!
Brandt Bronico
Charlotte FC #13
#BloggingBronicosBrain
Did you hear the news? I’ve got my own website —> https://www.brandtbronico.com/
I’m extremely happy to announce the launch of the #BB13 collection! This has always been a goal of mine and it’s such a surreal feeling seeing it come to fruition!
Show some love & support and get your #BB13 gear TODAY ?
