Contractor Tip of the Month: Get Used to the Pain Words: Damian LangPain isn’t just negative; it’s a natural part of growing and improving. Instead of seeing pain as a reason to quit, recognize it as a sign you’re making progress. What sets successful people apart is their ability to stay calm and keep going when things get tough. Learning to manage setbacks takes practice, but over time, it gets easier. If you view pain as proof you’re working toward your goals, it can help you stay focused and resilient.There is a phrase I have come to respect more as time goes by: get used to the pain. I don’t mean life has to be miserable or that you should go looking for misery. If you want to be better than you were yesterday and you’re willing to look problems square in the eye, you have to become familiar with discomfort. Setbacks and frustration are part of the deal.I didn’t always agree with that phrase. At first, get used to the pain, which felt a little extreme. Over time, I came to understand it wasn’t about becoming indifferent. It was about not letting discomfort stop you from moving forward.Recently, my wife Rachelle and I were reminded of that in a small but telling way. We had been planning a long-awaited vacation to Curaçao. The day came, and we were up at 2 a.m., tired but excited, making the drive to the airport. International travel, especially at that hour, is never relaxing, but we were ready. At check-in, we were informed our travel documents weren’t properly filled out. I asked the customer service agent if she could help us fix them. She abruptly refused. No explanation. No guidance. Just no.To avoid missing our flight, we went online and discovered we could refile immediately, but approval would take at least four hours. Since this was the only flight to Curaçao that day, we had no choice but to drive home, sleep briefly, and wake up at 2 a.m. for another early start the next day. Paradise would have to wait.Several years ago, encountering a situation like that would have caused considerable stress. I likely would have argued with the airline and let frustration transform my excitement into anger. But this time, I remained calm. I turned to Rachelle and said, “It is what it is. Vacation starts tomorrow.”That response didn’t happen by accident. Earlier in my life, delays and inconveniences often made things worse because I reacted emotionally instead of dealing with what was in front of me. Over time, I learned how to stay composed and work through disruptions constructively. Situations that once felt overwhelming became manageable, not because the challenges disappeared, but because my ability to handle them improved. My pain tolerance has grown over time. As a child, I lost close friends in accidents, which changed my understanding of life's fairness early on. Later, divorce brought a different kind of pain, with lasting effects on my family, especially my kids.Then came the business failures. I lost millions on investments I never should have made. At the time, they looked solid. I trusted opportunities that felt like sure things and ignored doubts I should have listened to. When it fell apart, the damage went far beyond money. It cost me confidence, peace of mind, and years of rebuilding. I made changes, but I had to live with decisions that could not be undone.What those experiences taught me wasn’t how to avoid pain, but how to handle it without letting it define me. Pain has a way of sharpening your judgement if you allow it. You stop chasing easy wins and start asking better questions. You learn how to slow down, think longer, and recognize when something feels wrong instead of charging ahead just to maintain your momentum. That kind of clarity only comes from getting burned and choosing not to quit. If you want more than an average life or an average business, you have to endure what most people spend their energy trying to avoid: pressure, uncertainty, discomfort, and pain. That’s why I’m writing this during the thirteenth hour of my workday. It’s late, the phone has finally stopped ringing, and there’s still work left to do. In contracting and in business, problems are part of the job. Projects go sideways. Employees quit. Customers complain. Investments go south. Plans change. If moments like that break you, you won’t last.So, my closing thought is simple. Don’t run from discomfort or spend your life trying to pad every edge. Playing it safe feels responsible, but it quietly limits what you’re capable of handling. The people who succeed aren’t immune to failure and they aren’t lucky enough to avoid it. They take hits, rebuild, and keep going because stopping never actually fixes anything.My challenge to you is to face pain head-on instead of negotiating your way around it. Take risks that matter. Do the work that stretches you. Invest in something you believe in, knowing it might not work out. And when life throws you an unexpected airport moment, don’t panic or complain. Adjust, deal with what’s in front of you, and keep moving.You’ve been through worse. And you are already used to the pain.___Damian Lang is CEO of Lang Masonry Contractors, Wolf Creek Construction, Buckeye Construction and Restoration, 3 Promise Labor Services, FlexCrew, Malta Dynamics Fall Protection and Safety Company, and EZG Manufacturing. To view the products and equipment his companies created to make job sites safer and more efficient, visit his websites at ezgmfg.com or maltadynamics.com. To receive his free e-newsletters or to speak with Damian about his management systems or products, email dlang@watertownenterprises.com or call 740-749-3512.About: Contractor Tip of the Month
