Winnebago trip to South Padre Island for Spring Break.  That was the primary focus of my second semester senior year in college.  A group of buddies and I had talked about it since Freshman year.  It was now or never.

There was only one problem.  None of us had any money.

It cost $300 each for six guys to rent the “‘Bago” for ten days.  Where could we come up with that kind of cash?

As fate would have it, a good friend worked in the hospital on campus.  He mentioned they needed student volunteers to test an experimental pain-killing drug.  It required three hours of preparation for the administration of the drug followed by 15 minutes of testing the effectiveness of the medication.

And the experiment paid handsomely.  How much?  Exactly $300 in cash!  It was the perfect storm.  We all signed up with dreams of “Bago Break” in our heads.

Finally, the big day arrived.  After injecting me with the drug, the researchers took a small pin and gently punctured my shin.  They wanted to know if I could feel it.  I couldn’t.

The pin pricks got progressively more aggressive until finally I felt very minor discomfort.  I informed the team right away and the experiment was over.  $300 in my pocket.  Easy money.

Two days later I saw a classmate who had signed up for the same experiment.  He had massive welts all over his shin.  I asked him what had gone awry.  He shrugged and said he wanted to see how much pain he could endure.  He essentially lied to the researchers and they kept digging the needle in even as he felt overwhelming discomfort.

$300 the hard way.  His false bravado didn’t benefit the experiment (in fact it needlessly skewed the results).  And he had suffered incredible and unnecessary pain as a result.

And don’t we all have to be careful about taking on unnecessary pain in our own lives?

We Need to Grind For a Purpose

In our work lives, we have to hunker down and get the job done.  It can be a struggle and it’s not supposed to be easy.  But is our effort always benefitting the cause?  Do we stay late out of peer pressure or actual necessity? Do we volunteer for projects that we can’t possibly fulfill?   Do we pursue clients we have no chance of winning?  Is our effort and our suffering helping us or our teammates?

I’m not suggesting we set low targets and coast.  We need to test our limits and reach beyond our perceived potential.   But we also need a reality check.  If we are going to grind, let’s grind for something that has a purpose.  Let’s grind for bettering ourselves and our team.   Let’s not go through a painful process just to see how much punishment we can take!

Suffering is not necessarily a prerequisite for success.  Enduring pain for the sake of pain is not a noble pursuit.

Suffering Should Not be the Norm

The same is true in our personal lives.  We need to incrementally grow our circle of friends.  We need to pursue connections that fulfill us.  But inter-personal relationships are never easy.  It is only natural to hit a rough patch or have an argument at some point.  Sometimes those down moments only serve to strengthen our bonds.

But pain and anguish shouldn’t be the norm in any relationship.  We don’t need to suffer in perpetuity.  We must be working toward some greater understanding.  Otherwise, we might as well dig that needle into our shin and pretend it doesn’t hurt.

Suffering is Not a Badge of Courage

Resiliency is the ability to bounce back stronger after suffering a setback.  Breaking through that disappointment or wall of pain builds character and makes all the pain worthwhile.  But not all suffering is necessary.  Not all pain results in a breakthrough.

How can we distinguish between discomfort that leads to growth and “unnecessary” suffering?  It’s a fine line.  But we have to constantly keep the big picture in mind.  What are our goals? What are our aspirations?  If the pain we endure brings us closer to those goals and helps our team, we need to hunker down and go for it.  Everything worthwhile comes with a price.

But if we experience anguish that isn’t helping our own cause or the cause of our team, we need to re-evaluate our goals.   If we’re not helping, we are only getting in the way.  Suffering in its own regard is not a badge of courage.  We cannot be gluttons for punishment.

Keep the Big Picture in Mind

The proceeds from the science experiment made our Winnebago trip a reality.  And it was epic.  We had t-shirts made up, we put a couple thousand miles on the vehicle, and we created memories for a lifetime.

We had to be creative.  We had to go through a small modicum of pain and discomfort.  But we didn’t take on any more pain than needed.  And we helped ourselves and the outcome of the experiment through our efforts.

There is no need to let the pin keep digging into our shins.

In the end, we will not be measured by how much pain we have endured.  But by how much we maximize our own potential and help our team along the way.

Until next week, keep smiling.