006. Pain Now or Pain Later

During my high school years, my geography teacher had us complete what seemed like an impossible task: memorize the entire map of the world, labeling each country with their respective capital on a blank map. 

This test marked the culmination of a year-long journey, during which we underwent smaller tests covering each continent. 

Before each test he would always issue a solemn warning, “pain now or pain later.”

Sounds morbid and a little extreme for a 10th grade geography class, but it’s stuck with me all these years later. Because despite its grim finality, its truth remains universal.

What he meant was simple, yet profound: invest the effort to study (pain now) and you’ll spare yourself the agony of facing a difficult test or bad grade (pain later) in the future.

This principle extends beyond the classroom; it applies to every worthwhile endeavor in life. 

Desire a healthy body? 

Embrace the discomfort of regular exercise and disciplined eating now to mitigate the potential pain of disease, lack of mobility, and an early death later. 

Seeking financial freedom? 

Endure the pain of delayed gratification, adhere to a budget, save diligently, and invest wisely now to avoid the pain of unfulfilled dreams, reliance on the government or others for assistance, and financial ruin later. 

Wanting a worthwhile relationship? 

Put in the work now to engage in open communication, foster your interpersonal and emotional intelligence skills, dedicate quality time for your partner to avoid the pain of heartbreak, divorce, and chronic loneliness later. 

Dreaming to build something meaningful? 

Experience the pain now of waking up early, working late, and persist even when motivation is gone to prevent the pain of missed opportunities and unfulfilled ambitions later in life.  

Pain now or Pain later. I see it everywhere.

Do you agree?