Show Me the Pain

Show Me the Pain.

A few months ago, I finished "The Subtle Art of Not Giving an F" by Mark Manson. One key takeaway is how we think about outcomes of success — wealth, appearance, fame (the outputs) — without focusing on the pain or sacrifices behind them (the inputs).

When we think, "That person is making all this money, and I want that," what if we flipped the script and thought, "That person has to endure X, Y, and Z every day. Do I want that?"

Essentially, it's about saying "show me the pain" instead of "show me the money."

If we, as professionals, looked closer at the unseen struggles and sacrifices behind others' success, we'd likely feel more satisfied with our own paths. Aligning our expectations with reality helps us find contentment and gratitude for what we already have.

So, whenever I feel tempted to envy what someone else has, I ask myself: "What pain am I not seeing?" This simple question helps me find contentment in what I have.