Section 1.1: Confronting Pain

I once believed that evading pain was a wise choice. However, no matter where you hide, it will eventually catch up with you. Whether it's the sorrow of losing someone dear, a job, or a business, each type of pain manifests in various intensities.

The unpredictable nature of life can turn a smooth journey into a tumultuous one, bringing forth unexpected hardships.

Compound failures refer to those choices you vowed to avoid, knowing they add no value to your existence. Yet, despite this knowledge, you still engage in them. You promise to quit smoking, limit alcohol, and eat healthier, but in just a few moments of weakness, you slip. Over time, the effects of these seemingly harmless actions accumulate and wreak havoc on your body.

There are two types of pain in life: the pain you invite due to negligence and the uncontrollable pain that life inevitably brings. The latter is universal; everyone will face it at some point. The former, however, is within your control, and you can work to mitigate it.

"Do what is easy, and your life will be hard. Do what is hard, and your life will become easy." — Les Brown.

Subsection 1.1.1: Discovering Your Purpose

Finding your purpose involves recognizing the sacrifices necessary to achieve it. Mady Grothe once said, "A life without purpose is like a novel without a plot." It meanders aimlessly, making it difficult to follow. Your life deserves a clear purpose, as I believe we all contribute to the betterment of humanity in our own unique ways.

Living without purpose can be excruciating; waking up each day without direction can lead to a different type of pain. It's not essential to identify your purpose immediately, as it takes time and reflection, but the sooner you start, the better.

A practical approach to uncovering your purpose is to engage in activities you love, cultivate discipline in those pursuits, and consider how they contribute to the greater good.

Section 1.2: The Cost of Inaction

Let's concentrate on the pain you can prevent—those you inflict upon yourself through negligence.

Take your relationship with fitness and healthy living as an illustration. The discomfort associated with hitting the gym, lifting weights, or jogging can be daunting, causing many to shy away. Often, people begin to negotiate the costs involved.

You might think, "I need to be healthier, but I dread exercising every day; what’s the point?"

Deep down, however, you understand that, like any endeavor requiring commitment and effort, this is a long-term journey. As failures accumulate, so too do your successes.

Another common thought might be, "How much time will this consume? How many hours, days, or months?"

Given that we are discussing your health, don’t even entertain the idea of negotiating the cost. Instead, make that discomfort you feel a regular companion in your life, because the true pain originates from the compound failures you create on your own.

Therefore, I urge you to identify those failures, confront them, and transform them into daily victories.