The Pain of Discipline or the Pain of Regret, Take Your Pick

As far as developing and changing your body, this is one of my favorite quotes. It eximplifies the truth; when you’re trying to change your body, whether it’s gaining muscle, or losing fat there is going to be pain involved. I don’t care what anyone says, it’s going to hurt. Sacrifices will have to be made. There aren’t any short cuts and there are no ways around this. Cutting calories hurts. Cutting carbs is sacrifice. Lifting heavy-ass weights hurts. Running sprints hurts.

However, what is the alternative? A life of where you’re unhappy with yourself? A life of being overweight and ill? A life where you KNOW you could be doing better? A life of settling? A life of regret?

Yeah right. No thanks. I’ll pass. The pain of discipline is temporary. The pain of regret is lasting.

In fact, when you start seeing results from discipline, the ‘effect’ from the ’cause,’ all of a sudden that pain starts to transform into pleasure. You start taking joy in the discipline. You even start taking joy in the pain because you know what that pain is going to get you in the end. In a lot of ways, you become somewhat of a sadism-ist (you take joy in pain). You get better at deferring gratification, and your discipline muscle gets stronger. In the end you’re able to experience more out of this life. You get to experience more depth, more joy, more happiness, and more feelings of being content.

“Success comes from knowing that you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming.” -John Wooden

In the end, joy comes from pain. Success comes from pain. Learn to love sacrifice. Learn to love the work. Learn to love the discipline and you will get to experience a much higher quality of life than being some emotional weakling that cowers anytime something hurts. Discipline is a muscle. It must be worked out to become strengthened. Strengthen it DAILY. Keep promises to yourself and most of all, have fun with YOUR journey.