We all love the hero myth. The tale of the underdog who struggles through pain and obstacles to achieve a goal is universally inspiring but when we encounter that pain for ourselves it becomes a different story. But it’s through challenges that we realize our values, shape our opinions and sharpen our skills.
There are all kinds of pain and the better you become at welcoming it with open arms the faster you’ll grow. I’m not saying you should become a masochist but you should be prepared to accept a challenge. This could be the pain of daily practice, asking for critical feedback or the real pain of pushing yourself physically. If it was easy everyone would do it.
Become the friend who tells it like it is. Tell people when they have spinach in their teeth and expect them to do the same for you.