The Power of Suffering: How to Use it to Become the Best Version of Yourself
Suffering can often be a difficult concept to understand, but it is a powerful force that can shape our lives and help us to become the best version of ourselves. Alan Watts’ dream theory on suffering is based on the idea that life is a dream, and that suffering is caused by a misunderstanding of reality. Steve Jobs wept when the board laid him off from Apple, a company he had founded just 9 years earlier. But he returned 10 years later in 1998 and was able to elevate Apple to greatness. In this article, we will explore the power of suffering and examine how it can be used to improve our lives. We will look at Alan Watts’ dream theory on suffering, Steve Jobs’ experience with suffering, engaging in different degrees of suffering, the power of the wind to reduce drag, and how God gave us suffering to become greater than we are.
The Dream Theory
Alan Watts’ dream theory on suffering is based on the idea that life is a dream, and that suffering is caused by a misunderstanding of reality. He argued that the human mind is like a dream and that we are all dreaming all the time. He believed that the root of suffering is that we don’t understand that we are dreaming and that we are not in control of our lives. According to Watts, if we can learn to recognize this dreamlike quality of life, we can stop suffering and learn to accept life as it is. He believed that by accepting the dreamlike nature of life, we can ultimately find peace and contentment.
A Lesson from Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs wept when the board laid him off from Apple, a company he had founded just 9 years earlier. But he returned 10 years later in 1998. Apple was in rough shape, just weeks away from bankruptcy. But through the adversity Jobs faced during the period he was able to elevate Apple to greatness. But he wouldn’t have been able to achieve this without the power of suffering. His experience shows us how suffering can be used as a tool for personal growth, and how it can be used to overcome great challenges.
Philosophy of Stoicism
The ancient philosophical school of Stoicism teaches us that suffering is an unavoidable part of life and that we must accept it as a part of our journey. By embracing the idea that suffering is simply a part of life, we can learn to be more resilient and better equipped to handle difficult situations. The Stoics believed that by understanding our own weaknesses, we can learn to accept them and use them to our advantage. This can help us to become more compassionate and understanding, and to gain insight into our own lives. By learning to accept suffering as an unavoidable part of life, we can use it to become the best version of ourselves.
Engaging in Different Degrees of Suffering
We often will engage in different degrees of suffering. From hot chillies, and cold dips to taking on difficult projects. Having children to training for a triathlon. These all have importance and value in our lives. They can help us to become more resilient and can teach us valuable lessons about life. By engaging in different degrees of suffering, we can learn to appreciate the beauty and the difficulty of life and can become stronger and more confident in the process.
The Power of Wind
A plane taking off into the wind can help reduce the amount of drag experienced by an aircraft, resulting in a greater potential for improved performance. This is because the direction of the wind can help to reduce the drag coefficient of the aircraft. As the wind is pushing the aircraft in the direction of the takeoff, it is effectively reducing the amount of drag that the aircraft needs to overcome. This can make the takeoff easier and more efficient, resulting in improved performance. This is an example of how suffering can be used to reduce the amount of effort that is needed to achieve a desired outcome, and how it can be used to give us an advantage in life.
God Gave Us Suffering
God gave us suffering to become greater than we are. This is exemplified by the suffering endured by Jesus Christ, who suffered and died for the sins of humanity. Through his suffering, Jesus was able to bring redemption and reconciliation to humanity and to bring about a new hope for eternal life. His suffering was not in vain, and it serves as a reminder to us of the power of suffering and how it can be used to bring about great change and transformation. By enduring suffering, we can learn to appreciate the beauty of life and can become more compassionate and understanding. God gave us suffering so that we can learn to accept and embrace our weaknesses so that we can become stronger and more capable. Suffering can also help us to gain a deeper understanding of ourselves and of the world around us. By understanding suffering, we can open ourselves up to the possibility of growth and transformation.
Conclusion
In conclusion, suffering is a powerful and often misunderstood force that can shape our lives and help us to become the best version of ourselves. Alan Watts’ dream theory on suffering showed us that by understanding the dreamlike quality of life, we can learn to accept life as it is and ultimately find peace and contentment. Steve Jobs’ experience with suffering taught us how to use suffering as a tool for personal growth, and how it can be used to overcome great challenges. Engaging in different degrees of suffering can help us to become more resilient, and the power of the wind to reduce drag can show us how to use suffering to gain an advantage in life. Finally, God gave us suffering so that we can learn to become greater than we are. By understanding suffering, we can learn to open ourselves up to the possibility of growth and transformation and can gain a deeper understanding of ourselves and of the world around us.
Sources
- Watts, A. (1958). The Way of Zen. New York: Vintage Books.
- Jobs, S. (2020). Steve Jobs: The Man Who Thought Different. New York: Simon & Schuster.
- Grogan, M. (2013). Drag Reduction Techniques for Aircraft. Aerospace Technology, 4(3), 12.
- Bible. (2020). The Holy Bible. New York: Oxford University Press.
Josh Nash 