How mentally tough are you when it comes to fighting for your dream? What is your pain tolerance on your way to the top, whatever that means to you? Watch this short video (2:09) I taped in Chicago after appearing on NBC alongside Montel Williams of the Montel Williams Show.
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Correction to above comment: SARA BLAKLEY not Susan.
Pain is the fear of failure. Embrace it. It re-frames your thinking on failure. Then you are not afraid to take chances.
“Failure became not trying vs. not succeeding.” “Pain is the fear of failure. Embrace it.” Sara Blakely, owner of SPANX, 2013.
Pain is the fear of failure. Embrace it. (Susan Blakely, 2013)
It’s a way to change your thinking into a new aspect.
Steve
good read I agree 100% with you on high pain tolerance. It is essential for achieving world class results I truly believed I would compete in the 1996 Atlanta games. I was crushed when I didn’t make the team but the pain didn’t keep me from my dream and four years latter not only was I on the team I came home with a silver medal. I endured so much pain along the way I know I can go through any amount of pain to achieve my goals.
I have some new goal and hope I can mentor under you some day.
I played football in high school & college. The two a day practices would result in muscle pain an sourness. Players would sit around and moan and groan and complain about where they hurt the most..When the coach blew the whistle to start practice, there was no thought of the pain anymore…it was all about the actions required on the field. At anytime, a hit to someone else or a hit on one’s self could result in some pain… the coach would always say “suck it up…You are not hurt. It is amazing how successful one can be when that push to overcome prevailed. It was & is a mind set that overcame other emotions and thoughts…Now far removed from football the mind set is still with me.
This strength of mind and discipline assisted in the corporate world to pay attention to the goals and purpose for being there… not to yield to the minor distractions
I will stay consistent in my beliefs about what it takes to be the best husband and father. Nothing will change that, no pain is too great.
I’m an actor, I thrive on rejection. I learned a long time ago to throw the rear view mirror away. If you let other peoples negative opinion affect how you view yourself you are doomed. Listen to everyone, but take what they say with a grain of salt. If people are being honest expressing their opinion, learn from it. Sometime they may be right. People today are such a bunch of sensitive pussies. Our parents and grandparents went through some hard times and didn’t whine about it. I was talking with my granddaughter Allison who has studied with the Atlanta ballet for eight years. I asked her about sore leg muscles caused by exercise, her reply was priceless,”Oh man up princess, I ran crosscountry”.
Steve,
I love this post. This is the real deal. You ABSOLUTELY must have a high threshold for pain, and sadly, too few do when it come to their dream. Winners don’t delude themselves into thinking the path will always be smooth and easy. They realize–even relish at times–the pain that comes with the path. And that is what sets them apart from the 99% that quit when the pain and discomfort of hard work, rejection, disappointment and failure show up.
Keep up the great work, Steve.
~JT
I am a confident 7. Besides my wife and kids, I really don’t care what others think about me. I’m not rude, but I don’t let others really influence my decisions. As far as physical pain goes: I live in daily pain–my back , knees, ankles (all from sports). You deal with it and move on. I really don’t let anything stop me.
When I’m suffering, I make sure I’m actually getting something for it. I’ve learned that just because I’m suffering, it doesn’t necessarily mean I’m making progress. Sometimes pain signifies growth and challenge, sometimes dysfunction and ruin. I evaluate every twinge on a case by case basis, and if it’s the latter, I implement a zero tolerance policy.
My own tolerance for pain can be extremely high. I have become one of the highest profile and sought after ski instructors in Beaver Creek, which competes with Aspen to be the most prestigious ski resort in the USA. Also I have published a #1 best selling book in its category. But, it wasn’t always that way. On my way to becoming the instructor and author I am today, I endured much criticism and rejection from all manner of people in the world of skiing. Briefly, once told I would never make it as a ski instructor, I was “The wrong body shape”, it took me 8 attempts to pass 3 ski instructor exams (In other words I failed 5 times amongst many other set backs and bad starts). So to answer Steve’s question, I know it is in me to become a world class speaker because I have the resolve to continually pick myself up after fierce criticism and rejection. I have realized that no matter how many times one is ‘knocked down’, one can can eventually be a winner if the floor/basement is continually rejected. Steve, your video snippets etc. continually remind me of that. Thank you for your inspiration.
Always inspirational; Steve Siebold is truly a visionary leader. I am reading the 177 secrets daily for the second time and regard it as one of my daily edifications. Moreover I pick up the audio series entitled “The Million Dollar Mind” which was extremely excellent; life changing data to be sure. Thank you Mr. Seibold for your profound vision and unique insight, from the bottom of my heart.
Hi Steve—Interesting question and I must say when I move forward with a decision I never even think of the pain–I don’t put it into the equation. The other day I was listening to a CD and I loved the comment I heard that Napoleon had said ” I see only the objective, the obstacle must give way”. Among those obstacles will be pain- both physical and mental, rejection, back stabbing nasty comments and outright lies. They WILL come your way when you are striving for your success–yes I know they will be there but refuse to let it have an effect on the outcome. Of course I don’t like it but in some ways it makes the success even sweeter!