No Pain, No Gain

John Cousins
5 min readJan 11, 2023

Friedrich Nietzsche, the 19th-century German philosopher, had a unique perspective on the relationship between suffering and joy. He believed that the two are deeply intertwined, and that suffering is necessary for attaining satisfaction.

According to Nietzsche, suffering is a natural part of the human experience and should not be avoided or denied. He proposed that by embracing suffering, one could transcend it and ultimately find true joy and fulfillment.

In his magnificent book “Thus Spoke Zarathustra,” Nietzsche writes,

“He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how.”

This maxim means that having a purpose or meaning in one’s life can help one endure suffering and find joy.

Nietzsche also believed that suffering could lead to personal growth and self-overcoming.

He thought one could become stronger and more self-aware by facing and overcoming suffering.

In “Ecce Homo,” Nietzsche writes,

“That which does not kill us makes us stronger.”

This quote expresses his belief that suffering can be a means of personal development, as it allows individuals to learn about themselves and grow stronger in the face of adversity.

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