How To Fight Pain

Pain is a problem.

Like all problems, with the right strategy, you can fight your way to a solution.

Check the video and notes below and learn how to fight back against pain and start winning.

How To Understand Pain

Physical Vs. Mental

  • Physical pain stronger but finishes easier
  • Mental pain is easier to control, but recurs, can’t remember physical pain
  • I prefer mental to physical pain, state control techniques much more effective

Pain Vs. Suffering

  • Pain doesn’t have to hurt you – eg. pain in the gym
  • Pain is only suffering when you let it hurt you
  • You can observe certain, temporary types of pain without suffering

Productive Vs. Unproductive Pain

  • Buddhist expression of pain vs pleasure in equal measures used to f*ck me up
  • Experience proves otherwise, by effort you can control pleasure/pain ratios in your favor
  • Through structure, lifestyle, mental techniques and effort you can minimize pain and suffering

How To Handle Pain

1) Schedule productive pain

  • Productive pain is pain that serves a positive purpose
  • Transmute pain to positive struggle, daily exercise and work
  • Learn to enjoy productive pain first because working towards a goal, second because relief is coming soon
  • Productive pain and relief is the key to a happy and fulfilling day
  • Productive pain does not cause you to suffer

2) Avoid unproductive pain like the plague

  • Unproductive pain is pain that serves no purpose
  • Pursuit of happiness is your primary priority in your life and avoiding uproducitve pain is a major part
  • Avoid sickness, injury and illness like it’s your job (very hard to be happy when you’re sick)
  • Even low level 2/10 pain like a back ache is enough to f*ck up your day
  • Manage unproductive thoughts ruthlessly and avoid sickness and injury just as ruthlessly

3) Attack Unproductive Pain Hard

  • If/when you do get hit with unproductive pain – go hard as hell to get rid of it/#1 priority
  • Daily battle, but most important battle in your life
  • Reframe unproductive mental pain but listen to unproductive physical pain
  • Attack unproductive physical pain with diet, drugs, supplements, stretching, surgery – whatever it takes

4) Don’t Add To Your Suffering

  • Life is hard, wanting it to be easy just adds to your suffering
  • When you rebel against reality you step on your own soldier
  • Sooner you adopt a solution based mindset the better your situation gets
  • Accept reality as quick as possible, avoid adding to your suffering and switch to a solution
  • Not easy, but very important