When in Pain, Smile

The title of this blog stems from a personal realization. Every time I experience pain, an almost instinctive, defiant smile stretches across my face. I first noticed it by chance while lost in an agonizing thought, catching myself in the act in the mirror. For a moment, it seemed almost diabolical- until I gasped, and in that instant, came a reckoning. I saw beyond the pain. I recognized what lay ahead.

Entropy is the only constant. Everything around us and beyond us will eventually unravel and decay. This is the natural order of the universe. Destruction precedes creation. It’s all cyclical.

Pain has a singular cause: change. When the world around you moves in perfect discord with your plans, or worse, life blindsides you with a blow you never saw coming not even in your darkest nightmares.

A man is defined by the values he embodies, regardless of his circumstances. A true man possesses character rare, unwavering, and unmistakable. He remains inherently good, no matter how many times life hands him defeat. Such a man carries an aura, an almost magnetic presence. You can see the battles fought, the pain endured, in the depth of his eyes and the set of his jaw.

Fall a thousand times. Face your inner demons. Embrace the darkness not for the world, but for yourself. Prove to yourself what you’re made of. Perhaps even gold pales in comparison. But no matter what, mean good and do good you’ll go far. Whether you believe in divinity or not (a discussion for another time), you cannot deny the presence of a greater force. The most logical way to perceive this is through the power of pure thoughts and unwavering identity. Some adapt their colors to suit the situation, believing it to be strategic. But a true gentleman stands firm. He does not compromise his values.

Life isn’t fair. You might ask, Why me? Out of 8 billion people on this planet, why me? But consider this: even the greatest have fallen. The mightiest empires have crumbled, no matter how invincible they once seemed. Take this as a test of your strength, a measure of your character.

Endure Self Torture Embrace both the good and the bad.

“களவும் கற்று மற” - A Tamil proverb meaning ‘Learn even to rob, then forget it for good.’ This is not to be taken literally, but rather as a lesson in understanding the world fully before choosing a righteous path. - Learn even to rob, then forget it for good.

Understand the world in its entirety even its darkest corners. To be a man of true character, you must be in control. Step into temptation, face it head on, and at the right moment, command yourself: No more. Walk away, never looking back. The power lies in restraint, in knowing when to step away unscathed.

This is not about self destruction. It’s about training your mind to conquer desire rather than being ruled by it. If you never understand temptation, you’ll never know true self mastery. To control a beast, you must first see its full strength. The power lies in your ability to step away at will, to walk through fire unscathed and laugh in its face.

Push yourself to the limits. Challenge your cravings, your comfort, your dependencies. Do what you don’t want to do. This is the ultimate unlock. Once you endure it, there is no going back. This is where you ascend to god level control. And here’s the kicker once you experience this level of mastery over yourself, it becomes addictive. It makes you feel invincible, like you’re bending reality to your will. It places you in a league of your own, playing at god level, where the world moves in response to your command.

David Deutsch, in his book The Beginning of Infinity, argues that our understanding of reality is shaped by the explanations our minds construct. While our perceptions can be flawed, objective reality exists independently of them. It’s not quite Matrix-level BS, but rather an exploration of how we refine our knowledge of the world through reason and science.

That said, within this objective reality, the only domain where you wield absolute control is yourself your mind, your body, your choices. If external events refuse to bend to your will, then bend yourself into something unstoppable. Engineer your existence. And when nothing goes according to plan, take charge of yourself, do what you feel like doing, and watch the world follow suit.

Oceans will split at your presence. Hearts will yield to your charisma if you master this.

The anterior mid-cingulate cortex (AMCC) is a key part of your brain involved in effort, resilience, and motivation. Studies show that individuals with greater AMCC activity tend to persist through challenges and achieve difficult goals. When you consistently push yourself facing resistance, overcoming discomfort, and exercising self-restraint you strengthen the brain’s ability to endure. Research suggests that repeated effort-based behavior reinforces neural pathways in regions like the AMCC.

That said, science is still in its infancy when it comes to fully mapping the workings of this world and the universe. We are only beginning to understand the depths of the reality. Just as you can’t teach a dog calculus, some truths may lie beyond our grasp (limited by human mental apparatus) at least for now. We are still only scratching the surface.

The True Man of Character

Tell yourself: I am the master of my fate. I wield absolute power over my being. I own every situation like an undisputed king.

Lose everything. Let yourself feel the pain. And smile. Because deep inside, you know you’re GOATed. You understand your ability to shape outcomes. Rise again, with every ounce of strength you have, and watch the world take notice. Your greatness is inevitable never doubt it.

We all have doubts about our abilities lurk our consciousness during the darkest hours. That’s another source from where pain comes originates. But deep down, you must know your greatness. Not believe it. Not convince yourself. Just know it. As instinctively as you know you can breathe. You don’t believe you can breathe. You just do. Feel the same about yourself.

But greatness doesn’t just happen. It arises from lived experiences, from the work you put in, from the discipline you enforce upon yourself. Control yourself. Discipline yourself. Engineer your mind. And when in pain, smile because you see beyond the pain. ve -G Chola