Pain is temporary. Quitting lasts forever.
Lance Armstrong
Failures are an inevitable part of any worthwhile journey, so much so that you’re probably aiming below your potential if you haven’t had any setbacks along the way. Unfortunately, pain is an inescapable part of failing.
It goes without saying that every setback, no matter how expected or natural it was, is bound to be agonizing. These disappointments not only deflate our confidence, but also make us wonder if we are headed in the right direction. They may even make us doubt our own abilities. Well, although not ideal, all these reactions are pretty much normal. What isn’t normal is to begin mulling over the possibility of giving up altogether.
Given the nature of setbacks, it is foolish to expect to encounter none in the pursuit of a worthy goal. Believe it or not, these disappointments are meant to help us fine-tune our approach to things; these are opportunities for us to course-correct. The pain they entail is inconsequential when compared to the priceless lessons they impart. If that doesn’t make sense, try thinking about every failure that has come your way in the past. Does it still hurt, or did it help you accomplish your goals better?
The beauty of this principle is that this applies to every sphere in our lives, be it personal or professional. Whether you are having relationship issues or you are stagnant in your career, the key is to learn the right lessons from these setbacks. Every now and then, you might be tempted to quit, but that doesn’t come without the risk of having given up on something that could have been fixed with some tweaks in your own approach to things.
Lance Edward Armstrong, popularly known as Lance Armstrong, is an American former cyclist. Having won the Tour de France a record seven consecutive times, Armstrong is renowned for his never-say-die attitude. One of his quotes demonstrates this to perfection: “Pain is temporary. Quitting lasts forever.”