Tolerance for pain is THE separator. It’s twin sister might be dedication. You do not make it to the top without many repeated, gut wrenching, teeth clenching, short of breadth experiences. Not in athletics, not in leadership, not in life.

When you experience pain, it is only by pushing through that it will lead to results. Going back for a second helping of more will solidify your successes.  Backing off will lead to average. As we all familiar, the mental challenge is often more excruciating than the pain itself. Each time leading up to ‘game day’ there are decisions to be made. You question your ability to endure. Easing up seems better in the moment. You think to yourself “anything else must certainly be better than this pain I am experiencing right now”.

Pain places a challenge against your basic nature. It challenges your desire to ‘win’. It challenges your very identity. So, when you really want something, how will you work through it?

As a technique for survival I have learned to focus my mind in another place to loose recognition of the pain. Here are a few tricks & topics I use as I press on:
- Pay close attention to form, execution, details & performance.
- Focus on a dream goal and how to get closer to it.
- Work out steps to solving a complicated problem.
- Get angry, put the energy towards positive gains.
- Look ahead to the win or great performance.
- Dwell on the details of a great experience or fond memory.