Have you ever heard about the rigorous Navy SEAL selection course known as "Hell Week"? This is a very complex test of resilience and strength that pushes soldiers to their limits. The author Brent Gleeson and his fellow trainees decided to confront such a challenge.

Chesty Puller, a notable Marine Corps officer, summed it up: "Pain is weakness leaving the body." This philosophy suggests that enduring pain is a transformative process that sheds weakness and builds strength. With a failure rate ranging from 70 to 80 percent, surviving this verbal and physical onslaught of "Hell Week" required one common trait. You had to embrace the suck. It isn't just a saying or a catchy phrase; it's a mindset.

Embracing the suck means willingly accepting and adapting to uncomfortable, unpleasant, or challenging situations instead of resisting or circumventing them. Survivors approach their circumstances with strength, resolve, and a positive outlook. They seek growth and improvement through the experience, regardless of its challenges.

So, how can one master this mindset? Primarily, building resilience involves a shift in perspective towards adversity. Pain, in all its forms, can be transformed into a powerful force that helps individuals to achieve extraordinary feats. Mastering the ability to control and, in some ways, lean into pain diminishes its intensity. You should understand that personal growth often involves navigating through struggles.

The "Pain Is a Pathway" mental model can help you navigate psychological, emotional, and physical pain. Moreover, it will enable you to turn it into a pathway for personal development. Let us take a closer look at this approach in the next chapter.