No Pain, No Pizza

I saw someone with a t-shirt the other day that said, No Pain, No Pizza—a play on the phrase No Pain, No Gain, which comes from athletics. Essentially, it means that certain things, like gains in muscle, speed, or endurance, come after a period of discomfort during a workout.

The wisdom in the supposed-to-be-comical phrase, No Pain, No Pizza, for me, was the understanding that recognizing the specific benefit on the other side of a goal can really help us focus on the ‘why’ of achieving it. For example, many people want more money as a goal, but they might use it for different things. One person might build up their nest egg or emergency fund, another might pay off debt, and yet another might buy something they’ve been saving for. These are three different reasons for achieving the same goal.

When thinking about your own goals in life, having a specific benefit—a ‘why’—that comes after achieving that goal can strengthen your resolve and willingness to go through whatever it takes to get there. And in terms of No Pain, No Pizza, if pizza is the goal, and the benefit is what you get at the end of trying hard, that’s not a bad thing to have!