Nov. 10, 2024
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tags:All of us deal with hardship at one point or another. Whether it’s family issues, career setbacks, or just the daily grind, suffering is a universal experience. But what if suffering isn’t just something to endure, but a crucial ingredient for growth and greatness? Think about how important it is… or maybe it’s just me.
From a young age, I’ve faced my fair share of challenges. This could stem from a few family issues I’ve dealt with, whether facing my parents’ divorce, ocassional issues with family… Like everyone else. This continued into university, where I juggled a double degree in electrical engineering and business. I can still remember the countless nights fueled by caffeine and sheer willpower.
Eventually, I landed in the high-stakes world of financial technology, consulting for major banks. It was exhilarating but demanding. Though the job was cool, the long intense hours of reiterating different versions of the same thing began to bore me. I moved into industry bringing tech to a non-technical world of high-end luxury retail. Having the chance to work in industry where a lot of the same things have been done for decades made it a great place to grow and evolve. The hours were chill, and the work was new and challenging. It was no longer about some excel analysis, but cloud deployment of full stack applications and network security for hybrid solutions. It wasn’t enough to have something made available, but autoscaled and fully integrated. Then, the pandemic hit, and the world turned upside down for everyone….seeing the tragedy that became civilization…daydreaming about my death in a weird way. I mean, I was never really depressed, or at least I didn’t think I was at least. I continued to build with the company I was working with, but something was missing; Energy, thrill, adventure.
I decided to take no one’s advice and do what my soul begged of me; leave, go far away, continue to solve problems, and do something awesome. This is where I decided to go to escape to Switzerland where I continued to solve problems from the comfort of my chalet in Zermatt. Hike and ski by day, work at night. Coming back to Canada didn’t feel like an option. Skyrocketing rent, and the never-ending issues of pandemic woes between friends and family. I had forgotten all of those things and lived life again.
My breaking point came when I realized I was paying a fortune to live in a city that was draining the life out of me. …I wasn’t going to settle for the thing that nearly killed me. I quit my job, and embarked on a journey of self-discovery, which included a failed business venture. After I had left the great job, reached the top of what my achievements were going to be there, I decided instead to push myself to build a new business to help others solve their problems at scale. However, I knew little to nothing about business since my only venture into that world was some freelance among my friends.
These experiences were a crucible, forging a new mindset. I learned to tackle problems head-on, instead of losing enthusiasm. I learned to embrace pain, and use it as a catalyst for greatness. It was a pivotal moment in my life, and I’m glad I made it through it. I explored new avenues of life and it became a cornerstone of my person. Learning new things head on and trying to venture into new territories was the method to harden my mind and ability to attempt new feats.
Jensen Huang, the CEO of NVIDIA, is a prime example of someone who embraced suffering.
People with very high expectations have very low resilience. And unfortunately, resilience matters in success. I don’t know how to teach it to you except for I hope suffering happens to you.
He saw a vision decades ahead of its time, and he endured years of hardship to bring it to fruition. His story is a testament to the power of perseverance and it’s really the best way to become a swiss army knife in your work and within your career.
Suffering isn’t a detour on the road to greatness; it is the road. Think of figures like Jesus Christ….a perfect example of why a life of suffering can be a precursor to greatness.
The choice is yours: be defeated by suffering or use it as fuel. Don’t be a worrier, consumed by problems. Become a warrior, tackling challenges head-on, even if the biggest challenge is yourself. This is where the concept of the “warrior gene” resonates with me.
Suffering is inevitable, but it’s also an opportunity. It’s a chance to build resilience, develop grit, and ultimately, achieve greatness. Embrace the suck. Share your own story of overcoming adversity, even if it’s something