With all the focus on success it’s easy to overlook the valuable lessons we can learn from the more difficult parts of our journey. Below, you’ll find some very interesting insights from some of the most fascinating members of the community.
Avee Charles
The power of consistency as well as my strength in faith with Christ. As a child of God my lowest moments were alone in solitude & prayer. Every time I overcame an obstacle I realized that I wasn’t suffering; it was a detox from old mindsets, old environments and people who no longer served me or my future. Read More>>
Will Rodriguez
Suffering taught me how to be still and listen, not just to the world around me, but to the quiet voice within. For most of my life, I was focused on achievement; hitting deadlines, climbing ladders, producing results. And I was good at it. But success, as society defines it, kept me on a treadmill. Read More>>
Shakea Miller
Suffering taught me patience, humility, and empathy in ways success never could. It showed me how to sit in the silence of pain and still believe in the promise of tomorrow. It forced me to strip away pride and self-sufficiency and learn the power of leaning on faith and community. Read More>>
Lewana kidane
Suffering has taught me that redirection is often protection and that every denial I’ve faced has ultimately pushed me toward something greater. It has given me love and hope for what lies ahead, even during times when I couldn’t yet see the bigger picture. Success is powerful, but it exists at the top of the mountain. Read More>>
Tami Brooks
Oh my gosh, so much! When it comes to hiking, I’ve certainly faced my fair share of suffering, haha. What I’ve learned through those challenging moments is that it’s okay to sit with discomfort. I used to believe that things came easily to others, especially on the trails. Read More>>
Mandy Picchiottino
A few years ago, my best friend and fellow teacher, Brittany, was tragically killed by a drunk driver. Brittany and I were on such similar paths—both teachers, young moms, wives—and we spent so much time dreaming together about the future: where we’d take our kids, the memories we’d make, the goals we’d reach. Read More>>
Damien Rider
You don’t find your purpose in success. You find it in the moments that broke you, the ones that forced you to rise and gave you the strength to keep going. Read More>>
Jordan Leach
Our concept of success is a lie – a prison. For years I strove to be the greatest in my field, hoping to achieve the accolades and awards and admiration of those before me. Read More>>
Jehan “J” Carter
Suffering has taught me resilience and what it truly means to have faith. Faith truly is believing the evidence of things not seen. Read More>>
Keilissa Bridgett
Suffering taught me patience, resilience, and perspective things success alone could never give me. When I’ve faced setbacks, whether it was struggling to get noticed online, dealing with criticism, or even going through tough personal moments, I learned to keep going even when no one was watching. Success feels good, but it can trick you into thinking the journey is easy. Read More>>
Kymber Stephenson
BOUNDARIES. I am so grateful to have been mentored by an amazing leader, Jamie Magdic, the CEO & founder of Side by Side Nutrition. When I joined her small practice 5 years ago, I had only heard the word boundaries once before. Read More>>
Elyse Bouwmeester
Suffering taught me that hard things in life can actually lead to really great things. Sometimes, when something feels awful and unfair, it turns out to be your greatest lesson or the very thing that’s guiding you toward something more amazing than you could ever imagine. Read More>>
Deonica Mckeel
Suffering has taught me that ANYTHING is possible .. No matter what resources you have. You can work with what you got to get what you want or need out of this life. Suffering has helped me grow my relationship with God and made my faith even stronger. God always makes a way for you no matter what situation you are in. Read More>>
Sheri Simmons
Suffering taught me that you can lose it all and still gain it back, that failure is actually part of success, and that your beginning does not determine your ending. Read More>>
Denise Schonwald
After years of spiritual work, I have come to realize that suffering is God’s or the Universe’s way of teaching, guiding, and helping me grow. This has helped take the sting out of tough times for me. Read More>>
Ashley Monique Robinson
Suffering taught me lessons that success never could. It taught me to appreciate my wins, no matter how small, because I know the pain and struggle that came before them. It developed a humble nature in me, reminding me that everything I achieve is not just for myself but to help others along the way. Read More>>
Jeff Montag
When my accident left me a quadriplegic, my entire world changed in an instant. What I once knew of life was stripped away, and I was forced to face a reality I never imagined. In that darkness, I began to discover something I hadn’t expected: pain and suffering can be the very place where purpose begins to grow. Read More>>
Dr. Raechelle ‘Rae’ Johnson
Suffering taught me truths that success never could. Success is loud—it celebrates the win, the recognition, the result. But suffering? Suffering speaks in the quiet places and teaches you how to trust your own voice when the applause fades. It taught me resilience not as “toughness,” but as depth—the ability to keep showing up with authenticity even when life has pressed you to your limits. Read More>>
Jaci Gonzales
I believe that sometimes, struggles are necessary. I know we all want everything in life to be ‘ unicorns and roses’ all the time, but that’s not realistic. Growing up, my life has been anything but easy. I was faced with a lot of uncertain situations, trials, and hit rock bottom way too many times. Read More>>
Matthew Nuesse
This is an easy one. Negative situations (suffering, failure, etc.) have taught me how to be appreciative of what I have. My professional experience has not always been a smooth ride. During challenging times I am reminded that I still get to choose to get up every morning and hopefully make a positive impact in someone else’s life. Read More>>
Briana Jenkins
Suffering taught me what success never could: how to sit still, feel deeply, and trust God even when I couldn’t see a way out. I’ve battled depression for the last 14 years, and in those quiet, heavy moments, I learned more about myself than any achievement ever could. Success often moves fast, it celebrates the highlight reel. But suffering? It slows you down. Read More>>
AM Davies
Suffering has taught me about success. It taught me to ask myself, ‘what is the definition of success?’ Which is something I never asked myself before. I used to think that success was about how much money someone made. Buying a house and nice cars and having nice things. Read More>>
Keli Price
Failure has always taught me far more than success. As an operator and business owner constantly running film productions, there’s never a day without a fire to put out. That’s just part of the process. What’s funny is that every single project brings new challenges I never could have anticipated. Read More>>
ilaamen Pelshaw
Suffering have taught me to appreciate and enjoy the little bright moments of everyday life. To not wait and live for a huge moment but enjoy everyday, the normal things, like spending time with the people you love, the morning coffee, a walk on a cloudy day. Read More>>
Damon D’Amore
That you must love the journey that you decide to take because it is in the journey, process and years of striving towards success – one step forward two steps back again and again – that you must learn to be resilient and realize how lucky you are to be suffering in service of something you love. Read More>>
Franchette Dyer
Suffering taught me grit and determination in a way success never could. When you have nothing, you realize you have everything to gain. I remember going to an interview while I was temping, even though I barely had the money to get there. Once I arrived, the interviewer admitted she had already chosen someone and was just going through the motions. Read More>>
Jon Antonucci
While success is always more fun, it is most often suffering that provides the most value and opportunity for growth! For me, it was my success that resulted in the biggest personal character flaws and challenges. Read More>>
Matiyah Brown
Suffering taught me, how to appreciate everything. From the way I thought, talked even walked. You can self sabotage when your suffering from LIFE, meaning things you can’t control. And that’s not a good head space to be in. Thank you to self love. Read More>>
Rashun Faust, MBA
Suffering taught me things success never could. It stripped away my illusions and showed me what truly matters. It taught me resilience, the value of stillness, and how to hear God’s voice when everything else is loud. It forced me to confront myself, not just my circumstances, and it revealed the people who were for me versus those who were only around me. Read More>>
Jarred Stanton
It taught me how powerful God was when I felt my most weak and vulnerable . Suffering through hard times showed me resilience is and will always be the only option. Once we hit rock bottom, we can only go up. Read More>>
Patricia Schnall Gutierrez
Strength, and resilience – Success is rewarding, but struggle shapes you—it carves out a deeper capacity for gratitude, empathy, and determination. Read More>>
Jamie Irby
Suffering has taught me that I can persevere in difficult circumstances. If I am honest I have suffering in my life now. Suffering helps us to be able to empathize with those around us who are going through difficult times. Read More>>
Tasha Wright Ford
Suffering has taught me that no matter the situation or circumstances, it isn’t over until you say and decide that it is. I have always told my children no matter what happens in life, no matter who you lose or what things you lose, no one can ever take away your integrity and dignity unless you let them. Read More>>
Lain Lee
Ease is a greater threat to progress than hardship.’ ~ Denzel Washington There’s an important distinction that I always make with my athletes. ‘No pain, no gain’ is a terrible adage developed by motivation culture to sell workout programs. In truth, pain & suffering are not something you’re supposed to work through. Pain doesn’t instruct, it doesn’t teach. Suffering doesn’t inform. Read More>>
Kacey Chumley
This is a great question. It teaches work ethic, humility, and having a backbone. You never learn anything if you think you already know everything. It doesn’t, however, teach you to be kind to yourself. Combining your knowledge of success and failure is really the only way to do it. Read More>>
Mara-Joanne Derinor
Suffering taught me what success never could—it revealed my true potential and inner strength. In moments of pain, uncertainty, and adversity, I discovered resilience I didn’t know I had. Suffering taught me how to keep going when everything in me wanted to give up. It taught me the hustle—not just the grind, but the purpose behind it. Read More>>
Shante Saulsberry
Suffering taught me what success never could—that strength is built in the trenches, not the spotlight. It showed me that pain has a purpose, and sacrifice is often the soil where legacy takes root. There were days when I had nothing but faith and the will to keep going. Success can celebrate you, but suffering shapes you. It taught me resilience, empathy, and clarity. Read More>>
Haze Tha Ripper
Suffering taught me presence. How to sit in the fire without reaching for the escape. It stripped away the noise, the ego, the illusions. It taught me to listen not to the world, but to myself. Success whispers comfort, but suffering screams truth. It showed me who I really was when nothing was guaranteed, and no one was watching. Read More>>
Zoe 郑
It’s not about success, it’s about keep going in the direction I believe in. Read More>>
Xiaojun Huang
It reminded me that design isn’t just about fixing what’s broken—sometimes it’s about living with the questions, letting uncertainty breathe, and allowing it to guide the creative process. Read More>>
Jesse Rojas
Enhanced perspective and audacity. The truth is when you lose things you love (people, possession’s etc.) it forces you into a deep reflective state that in some cases becomes almost meditative. Read More>>
Jenny Germano
I think with an being entrepreneur, sometimes I can be my worst enemy at times and get into my head which can cause a lot of struggle. It took me about 5 years of being in business to figure out how to turn my struggles into triumphs and victories. I learned early on when I am in my head, I am in my own way. Read More>>
Kxng Sir
Suffering taught me to stay hungry even when I feel accomplished. There always enemies and obstacles ahead that’ll threaten everything you’ve worked for. Stay resilient, stay focused, and stay on the path. Read More>>
Jaime DeJoseph
I’ve been thinking a lot about what suffering has taught me—things success never could. Cancer changed everything. It stripped away any illusion of control I thought I had. Suddenly, life wasn’t about long-term plans or achievements—it was about getting through one day, one hour, one breath at a time. I had to find strength in places I didn’t even know existed. Read More>>
Paige Danner
Suffering taught me that God never gives you anything you can’t handle. If everything was easy you wouldn’t appreciate the successes and good things that come your way. Success is in your heart. The little things are what make you happy in the end. Read More>>
