The truth is that we can learn to condition our minds, bodies, and emotions to link pain or pleasure to whatever we choose. By changing what we link pain and pleasure to, we will instantly change our behaviors. - Tony Robbins
This particular quote resonates with me. For someone who likes to take the easy route, the one most desirable and least likely to make you fall on your ass, you have to acknowledge something that has the potential to alter the landscape of your life. See it is quite simple. Why do we condition ourselves to fear pain? What is pain? Why do we feel it?
Pain
If we consider pain to be a state of mind, rather than anything that will have ill long term effects, why do we continually avoid it? Pain leads to suffering. Suffering leads to growth. Growth leads to a better you, me and society as a whole. Pain may actually be the most useful tool at everybodies disposal. Having studied entrepreneurs and investors like Gates, Buffett and Musk, there appears to be a commonality. All three absolutely loved what they did. And all three devoted themselves to something not many consider to be enjoyable. Creating computers? Meh. Picking stocks? No thank you. 100 hour work week? Where's the nearest exit? But to these three gentlemen the cause was as enjoyable as it was lucrative.
Now these three may have been more suited than the rest to taking enjoyment from these plights, but I wonder why this state of mind isn't more alterable. We all understand that in the long term, if you don't enjoy whatever you're doing, you won't be especially fulfilled in either happiness, health or prosperity.
However, we have all had moments of adaptation in the past. During my youth, I did not enjoy reading, writing or any type of curriculum that had me bent over a book for longer than the time it took me to say 'Hell NO!' Nowadays, lock me up with food and a good book, and you'll find one happy Steemer. The same goes for exercise. Everyone of us gym goers started out a novice. That is rarely an enjoyable experience. We look stupid against our counterparts. Lifting is difficult and your muscles will ache. However, stick with it for long enough and many begin to love it.
Is this the missing piece to your puzzle? Why not challenge yourself. Something that you hate to do but know that it's good for you. Running. This basic exercise is loathed and sometimes feared by members of the public. Yet it requires no real expenditure and the risks are minimal for healthy adults and teens alike. But it causes pain. Your lungs feel like bursting. Your legs soon become battered and this may all occur within the first few minutes of leaving your door. Yet, the majority now know the significance positives. In fact a recent study by Time Health suggests that one hour of running adds seven hours to life expectancy. If a chemical was available to add hours to our lives, our chemists would enjoy very healthy bank accounts.
So how do we make ourselves do the things we dislike? How do we transfer the dislikes into the things we like? To the second question, I think the most basic and informative answer is practice. Practice makes perfect, or so they say. I've very rarely come across an individual who was skilled and yet hated everything about said skill.
But to the first question, it's really based on the individual. For myself, setting challenges are very helpful. However, having a community to watch makes things even easier (thanks Steemers!). This is where family, partners and friends can be the driving factors. As I continue to learn about ways to evolve your pains to pleasure, I will be sure to put fingers to keys!