Friday, February 4, 2011

Good Life Comes with Hardships


I was not born from a wealthy family, where everything that I might possibly need or desire can come to me on a silver platter. I do not have an option to stay off from work because my family does not have other means to sustain our needs. I have to pick and carry my own cross, more so carry the crosses of others because they see that I am able to do so, and they feel that they can't carry their's on their own.

"Good life comes with hardships" that's an idiom in our culture. I believe that there are truths in it, but it can also be a truism. It is both motivating and uninspiring. The idiom is also wise and contrastingly idiotic. It also charges a ridicule to those who fail to value hardships and those who are idle.

A good life is a pleasant condition and it is possible for everyone to attain. It is that state of life that everyone one surely desires. Our personal vision of this pleasing quality of life drives us to commit our mind and body unto it. So it is wise to see and capture all opportunities that will get us there. Then we push and strain our bodies and mind because we want to have a good life.

The wise says good life comes with hardships. So in my younger years, I studied hard, and in my working years, I worked hard. But, then I realized we don't really need to be doing things hard. Our masochistic tendency is justified by the seemingly truthful idea that hardships are necessary for a good life. On the otherhand, our sadistic tendency drives us to bring upon our hardships to others who enjoy a good quality of life because they are able to manage it so well.

Hardly do we understand that a good life is possible without hardships, without exhibiting masochism or sadism. The classic Socratic philosophy says that the end of sorrow is joy. This should inspire us to see that there is an end to hardships, but this does not say that we should be sorrowful in life to have joy. Those who are afraid of hardships never really get a good life, just the same as those people who can't find the best tools and strategies that will make their life easy.

Those who squander in a pitiful state of life believe that it is their destiny and so they accept they have to live with it and be happy with it. This thinking undermines our potential to be great, to excel and to succeed. A good life is a reward for hardships. But not all hardships end successfully rewarding, more so if life is so hard on you because others only think of what would be easy for them and not for you.

I associate the win-lose thinking to the id of the saying that "good life comes with hardships". Life can be more enjoyable and easy if we think win-win instead. This should translate to our behavior of being happy with other's successes and helping other's succeed in their life. To our personal state, we should be looking for the best means to overcome our hardships, by being responsible and committed to our own success but not to the detriment of others.

6 comments:

skysenshi said...

"Life can be more enjoyable and easy if we think win-win instead." Super true. I had to learn this the hard way. LOL.

Although, there are certain joys that are worth working hard for.

Rod Rivera said...

Ako meron ding alam na certain joys that really require some sweat and hardwork. hehe

skysenshi said...

Ay teka...baka kung san mapunta ang usapan. Bwahahahahahahahahahaha! Iba kasi pumasok sa isip ko.

Rod Rivera said...

parang ganun din kasi pumasok sa utak ko about your quote tht there are certain joys that are worth working hard for. HAHAHHAHA

Leony Moonrose said...

Hello Rod,
The moment I read this post of yours I was impressed. Much more nung malaman kong you're from Philippines.. wow.. *amused* Always be an inspiration to the world, as in sa buong madlang people*wink.. thanks :)

Rod Rivera said...

@leony,

thank you so much for reading my post.