What did suffering teach you that success never could?

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.

Lee Cholodenko

I’d say a lot of my success has grown out of my suffering. When I was younger, I experienced deep emotional and spiritual pain, including intense fear, anxiety and shame. At the same time, I had beautiful moments of feeling connected to something greater than myself, to a spiritual essence. Read more>>

Yarden Brikman

Suffering taught me things that a successful job in an advertising agency never could. As a creative director inside an agency, you live in a very defined world. You know your craft. You lead the work. You guide teams. You shape ideas. But everything around you is handled by someone else. HR filters candidates. Finance handles taxes. Strategy handles projections. Read more>>

Tahn Bae Park

During the pandemic in February 2020 and June 2025 I was feeling so defeated and abandoned. It was the worst I ever felt as an adult. My mind was eating itself exhausted from being positive and trying to find financial security in a challenging market while not asking my family or friends for any help. Read more>>