When Is Enough, Enough? Or: Which Type Of Pain Are You Willing To Endure?

Ben White

When will you know when enough will be enough? When will you know when to quit? When to try something new? When to move on?

It is not often in our lives that we have a big event, an epiphany, a big decision, the benefit of hitting rock bottom, that causes us to go one of two clear-cut ways. Most of the time is spent leading up to this point so that it never happens as a Big Bang, to more of the time is spent avoiding any decision at all.

Is it right to expect anyone else to change? Have you seen enough evidence already? What will be different in the future?

You know the answers to these questions even if you do not like to admit it. The real questions are: How much longer are you going to accept this? This behaviour. The standards you have set for yourself. When will you know when enough is enough? The next time? The time after that? How will you know which straw will be the last straw? You do not want to wait until the proverbial camel's back is broken as that will be longer and more painful than avoiding the loading of all the other straws right now.

Then comes the real question, You probably know the answers to all the other questions already, although you choose not to admit them to yourself. The real question is, are you willing to accept the pain now? The pain of change. The pain of not knowing if everything would have turned out alright. The pain of uncertainty.

One is a short-term pain with longer better future. The other is a chronic disease that you have probably got so used to that you do not even notice it. Knowing which is which is the key to a good life.

Possessions, career ladder, salary.

Freedom, lifestyle, experiences.

Know which is which and what it takes to get there.  Which type of pain and which benefits do you want?

---