Don’t waste your pain – The Value of Pain!

While pursuing my master’s degree and struggling to make ends meet, I remember on one occasion I had to go to the University for an exam. All I had on me was a one way train ticket to go and write the exam. I finished the exam and boarded the train to return home but this time without a ticket. Somewhere in the middle of the journey, an officer approached me and requested to see my ticket to which I responded I don’t have one and pleaded for mercy. I believe the officer was in a very bad mood that day or perhaps he was just doing his duty. When the train arrived at the next station, the officer threw me out. I was very embarrassed with the ordeal, shed a few tears, and was scared because I was in the middle of nowhere wondering how I was going to get back home. It was a very painful experience. I wondered why life was this way. I asked several questions, wondering why me and whether there were others going through similar experiences. I felt alone and afraid. These were the days when there were no cell phones to call and ask for help. I waited several hours and got back on the next available train, but this time on the lookout for any person resembling an officer. I finally got home and promised myself never to allow this experience to be repeated in my life. This was a defining moment, the day that changed my life and intensified my quest and search for a life of success and achievement. 

Out of this pain and experience I resolved to pursue my goals with gusto, to never give up on my dreams, to keep looking for ways to make it in life like the others I have admired on the streets of London. I worked part time in a Persian Carpet store lifting heavy carpets with customers coming in to look at different carpets. For whatever reason, each time we had packed all the carpets neatly and about to close for the day, a customer would walk in and we had to bring down all the carpets the customer was interested in looking at. Most of the time these customers left without buying any carpet and that felt like a waste of time. It was tough but an interesting chapter in my life. I got to learn about different carpets from Iran, Iraq, and other Arab states, and the type of carpets used by the rich and the famous in the Arab world. When life gives you a lemon just use it! “Pain is just temporary; if you give up it becomes eternal.” – Dexter Lim

What is your pain? Remember than No experience is ever wasted!
What are you going through on your path to success? What are the discouraging episodes in your life? Turn your pain into an asset and let it motivate, inspire and propel you into finding your niche in life. There are those who crash under the weight of pain; let this not be you. Don’t waste your pain. I remember the story of a friend who had a very challenging job. At first each time the boss mistreats him, he recoils into a state of despair, anger, and wanting to fight back. One evening he recounted resting on his bed when the thought came to his mind to start using the pain and despondency to drive him towards massive success rather than towards a life of despair, regression and more pain. He got up from the bed, read through his goals, revisited the dates regarding all the things he wanted to accomplish in the year and got to work. At the time of preparing this blog, this friend is aggressively moving towards his goals while using the boss as a catalyst and driver towards massive success.

​Just don’t waste your pain, disappointments and challenges. Don’t allow your pain to use you instead, use your pain. When you do, you can look back and thank the pain that showed up in your life. Pain is temporary, allow it to do its work and leave through the other door. Whatever you fight persists!