This is a continuation of my series on the 15 Laws of Personal Growth

The 8^th Law is the Law of Pain – Without the pain there will be no growth.  Just ask anyone who competes in sports, business, and life.  There is an old saying of “no pain, no gain” and it is true.  Good management of bad situations leads to great growth.  When you manage a bad or painful circumstance well, you gain much.  We actually learn far more from the pain than we do pleasure.  We don’t remember the pleasure for nearly as long as we do the pain.  The reason people don’t sustain success is people believe success sustains itself.  That isn’t true, we can stumble upon success, but it won’t continue if don’t learn how to work through the pain, or what might also be called failure.

What isfailure – but pain?  How we react tofailure, how we (to quote an old song) “pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and start all over again” will be the true measure of our success.  If we back off because of the pain and never push through it, we will never see the reward, the success, and learn from the pain.

I have found when I am the most frustrated, in the most pain, and at the end of my rope is when I am most able to succeed.  I am more open to learning and more ready for the end goal.  Actually, putting myself in the situation where failure is not an option, no matter what the pain ensures my success.

Many of you know I like to climb 14’rs and we have many of them in Colorado.  On the way up the mountain, there are many times it would be easiest to just turn around and go home.  Yet, turning around isn’t an option (unless health and safety are at issue).

Turning around because I am tired (and trust me I am), or it is hard (yes it is hard) or any other reason is just not on the menu of options.  By pushing through the pain, through the hurt ad making it to the top – I am able to experience the success (and the view) and it is so worth the pain.  Every time I grow, apply, learn, and continue on the journey – how about you?