From Principles by Ray Dalio:
Most people react to pain badly. They have “fight or flight”reactions to it: they either strike out at whatever brought them the pain or they try to run away from it. As a result, they don’t learn to find ways around their barriers, so they encounter them over and over again and make little or no progress toward what they want.
Pain is important.
It helps our body communicate with us.
It is temporary.
But sometimes it lingers.
It can be loud.
It can be quiet.
Pain is a language, not a message.
Listen to the message.
Sometimes when we don’t know a language.
Everything sounds the same.
Take the time to learn the language.
The vocabulary and the grammar.
Then slow down and listen.
The message may not be what you think.
When pain speaks to you.
It may be time to stop what you are doing.
It may be time to seek outside assistance.
It may be time to run.
Or it may be time to stay and fight.
Most people react poorly to the message from pain.
It becomes Fight or Flight.
Do you strike out, or do you run away?
Listen to the message of the pain.
The pain may be telling you that you found a new barrier.
A barrier that can be broken down.
Don’t just push through the pain.
Open a dialog.
Listen.
Respond.
Act.
Do not just run away from it.
This is how we move around or through the pain.
To get to what we want.