Pain Doesn't Cause Suffering, The Story You Tell About It Does!
About 9 years ago, when I was only 15, I worked like hell; I've even never worked as hard as then. I started by working in an aluminum's workshop, I did well but I always felt I could do better elsewhere.
I made a listing on a famous listing website saying something like: I'm 15 years old, I speak good English, and I have some background in mobile phones and computer's software. Only three possible options came into mind: I'll either get an offer from a clothing shop, a computer shop, or a mobile phone's shop.
The only offer I got was something different, and this part is really interesting!
The word "موقع" in Arabic means a "website" so this man told me: "I have a website that I need to advertise for" I thought to myself: I know nothing about marketing and advertising, but sure I can learn.
I went to meet this man and the first thing he does is he pulls the architectural drawings and construction documents out of a bag. I forgot to mention that the word "موقع" also refers to a building under construction, which is a thing I never thought of then.
I was dumb, naive and inexperienced. Of course I was shocked, but somehow I managed to keep my cool.
I decided that if it's something I know I will nodd and say a few words, and if I don't then I'll just shut up. That's exactly what I've done.
I went home this day with a bag full of documents I have no idea about, and maybe you're asking how did he trust you with this job when you were young and inexperienced?
It was a commission-based job, meaning if you don't sell units he never has to pay a penny.
After I got home, I did over 12 hours of continuous research, and I always loved reading anyway. 12 hours were more than enough to know over 70% of what I need to know.
I fell in love with sales because it's uncapped; the harder you work the more money you make. That felt attractive to me, so I worked really hard, harder than you could imagine.
It was a tough time, I worked all my waking hours, hardly ever met my friends, had to be always ready for a phone call that might come anytime and cause me to make more money than anyone my age could wish for.
Did I forget to mention that I worked as a transcriber at night to make enough money that would fund my other job as a salesman, the job that made me no money for three consecutive months? I also spent most of the money commuting because this construction site was 30 kilometres away from where I live.
I can also remember how hungry I felt sometimes and neither had enough money to buy food nor was close from home. 3 months of continuous hard-work and I still achieved nothing.
I had a long wishlist and my expectations were growing like never before, that's why I kept going till the day I knew the summer's holiday has almost ended, and school will begin in 3 days!
I felt like I was running in place for 3 months, all my efforts went in vain. The problem wasn't only that I've achieved nothing, I also didn't go on vacation, didn't spend time with my friends, and I didn't enjoy the summer at all, and now I'm back again to the very place I hate.
I can never forget the first day at school, I kept looking at the board not believing I'm back again this quick, it's like everyone had a summer vacation but I didn't.
As a way to console myself I thought: there are other things in life that matter besides money; I gained so much experience in sales, I've grown my network, I improved my communication skills dealing with people way older than me, and all these things will allow me to make money in the future as well.
As soon as I changed the story I told myself about my struggles working for three months not making a single penny, the whole thing changed. I truly viewed myself as a lucky person knowing I've been through an experience most people my age then knew nothing about.
The results didn't change by then, only my perception of this journey did, and it was more than enough to entirely change the way I thought about everything I lived.
A while after, I encountered Sigmund Freud's quote, he said:
"One day, in retrospect, the years of struggle will strike you as the most beautiful"
And I just couldn't agree more with him.