Pain, Purpose, Sacrifice, NO Pain

There is a saying, “no pain, no gain.”

 I agree. 

 Pain makes us a better person. Running long distance is a pain, but when you regularly live with it, running becomes less painful. As you regularly run, you become a better person. You run more miles and faster. You gain more endurance. You become healthier. Then you realize the painful running becomes important.

 However, pain would remain painful if it does not carry a sense of purpose and sacrifice. If you run for the mere purpose of running or following a fad, then it will never make you run faster and more miles. It will never give endurance and healthier body. It will not make you a better person. You will not also appreciate the value of sacrifice if you do not see the purpose of running.

 If it makes better person, then it makes better relationship too.

 1, Living with your spouse’s idiosyncrasies, conflict between self-interest and shared interests, managing money and raising the kids are the common sources of pains in relationships. If you do not realize the purpose of your relationship, then you will never commit to build a good relationship. You will never understand your spouse. You will never find a common ground for self-interest and shared interests. You will financially be poor and you will raise misbehaved children. You will never build, rebuild and sustain a good relationship and home.

2, When you see the purpose of your relationship, then you would positively see any crisis and pains in relationship. It will make you appreciate the value of sacrifice. It will encourage you to go through the pain. You will then see any crisis as opportunity.

3, Surprisingly, you will see the imperfections of your spouse as a supplemental attitude to your personality. His/her imperfections will eventually teach you. You will also value the conflicting interests between you and your spouse. Later, you would find yourself having him/her pursue his/her personal interests. As your spouse pursues his/her personal interest, you will also be re-motivated to pursue your interests. If you pursue each other’s interests, pursuing your shared interests would then be easy. Managing money and raising kids would also be easy. Suddenly, everything is not painful anymore.

 No pain, no gain?

 I absolutely agree.