Suck It Up

Written by Editor in Chief, Pick The Brain - 18 Comments
Categories: psychology

When I was a kid my parents sent me to summer camp in New Hampshire. This was a great experience. I liked it so much that I worked there as a counselor when I was old enough. At camp we did tons of great things like swimming, sports, and archery, but for me, the most memorable experience was Trip. Once a week, everyone loaded frame packs with supplies and left camp for an overnight trip of canoing, hiking, or rock climbing.

My favorite kind of trip was hiking. If you’ve ever hiked a mountain, you know it’s a physical challenge, especially when you’re carrying your food and shelter on your back. When the terrain got steep, campers got tired and inevitably started complaining. I can vividly recall their pleas:

“How much farther is it?”

“I can’t go any further.”

“My pack is too heavy, can you carry it for me?”

The unfailing reply of the counselors was, “Suck it up”. The intent wasn’t hurtful or malicious, but the group needed to make it up the mountain and back to the campsite before sunset. For this to happen everyone had pull their own weight.

The truth is, the whining campers were nowhere near the point of exhaustion. If they had been, the counselors would’ve noticed the signs and given them care. The kids simply weren’t accustomed to the physical challenge and thought complaining the would alleviate their discomfort.

Once they realized they weren’t getting any sympathy they overcame the discomfort, and in most cases ended up having a great time. In my camp days, I don’t recall a single camper complaining at the top of the mountain.

There are two points to this story, other than making me feel all warm and fuzzy inside:

  1. Complaining doesn’t get you anywhere. If anything, it increases unhappiness by encouraging self pity.
  2. No one likes a complainer. As a counselor, the campers that complained a lot were the hardest to deal with. They made having a good time harder for everyone, including themselves.

There are two ways to deal with an unpleasant situation. You can complain, or you can make the best of it. If you complain, you might feel like you’re getting that negative energy out, but you’re probably not going to cause a positive change. It’s much more likely that your whining will arouse the resentment of those around you, adding to the negativity.

No one likes a whiner. They’re annoying and they hurt the group. Complaining makes life harder for everyone.

Instead, if you determine to master you own suffering, to move past it and focus on a remedy, it’s my experience that you’ll realize it wasn’t so bad in the first place. So much of our suffering comes from dwelling on things and feeling sorry for ourselves. As Milton wrote,

The mind is it’s own place, and in itself, can make heaven of Hell, and a hell of Heaven.

No matter how miserable your predicament, resolve to make the best of things. Conquer the urge to complain, expend your energy in positive action, and without fail your situation will improve, if only by your superior perspective.

  • http://geniustypes.com Brian

    As adults, it’s easy to forget how to suck it up. Maybe that’s because we don’t have a coach or leader pushing us like we did when we were kids. Thank’s for reminding me!

  • http://www.widowsquest.com/carnival-of-positive-thinking-4/ Widows Quest » Carnival of Positive Thinking

    [...] John Wesley presents Suck it Up; Or, Making the Best of a Situation posted at Pick the Brain – Wit and Wisdom for Your Inspiration, saying, “Why you should stop complaining and make the best of the situation.” [...]

  • http://www.thinkhappythoughts.com/2007/01/15/happiness-carnival-january-13-2007/ » happiness carnival – January 13, 2007 – Think Happy Thoughts Happiness Blog

    [...] John Wesley presents Suck it Up; Or, Making the Best of a Situation posted at Pick the Brain – Wit and Wisdom for Your Inspiration, saying, “Why you should stop complaining to make everyone happier, including yourself.” [...]

  • http://www.owresource.com Ibanez

    This reminds of coaching. A good coach will push the athlete a tad bit beyond their current physical level in hopes of causing adaptation, however they also have to be able to recognize when an athlete needs a break or when the athlete is getting too fatigued.

  • http://zkat-explorer zkat

    This article is fantastic,it reminds a person to think positively.Thanks again, zkat

  • trebla

    Beautifully written, and echoes what I’ve been thinking for quite some time. Thanks for putting it into words for all to read..

  • http://www.pickthebrain.com John Wesley

    Thanks, Trebla :)

  • http://www.dkyle.com Doug Kyle

    I forget who said it but verbatim…

    There are two ways to be happy with the things you don’t like:
    1 – change them if you can
    2 – learn to accept them if you can’t

  • http://www.positivityblog.com/ Henrik Edberg

    Excellent post, John. Thank you for sharing this very useful reminder.

  • http://www.consultcameron.com Jackie Cameron

    Oh yes – great story John. I think of whining as a kind of virus – see how quickly a whiner can “infect” the mood of others . My response now is to ask a whiner what they themselves are going to do about their situation (not what they think others should do ). That often causes confusion but it usually makes them think. Thankfully now the nature of my work means I rarely meet a whinger !

  • http://www.the-lessons-of-life.com lifelessons

    Another wonderful post John. I hope to share with so many people around me that complain a lot.

    Thanks for the reminder John.

    Cheers

  • http://www.mylifestartsatfortytwo.com skipper

    It is amazing how many of those same campers that whined as children are the same whiners at the water cooler complaining about their jobs, their bosses, etc.
    I think this article should be posted by all the places that whiners hang out as a gentle reminder….

  • http://www.kadsbaker.com Kads

    Great article – Now it is time for me to suck it up and go to work.
    :)

    Then, starting Sunday, I get to “suck it up” and hike 60 miles in two days. wOOt

  • http://ur-ban.com Hates_

    Absolutely great article!

  • http://www.silflayhraka.com/wp/2007/01/17/carnival-of-the-vanities-226/ Carnival of the Vanities #226 | Silflay Hraka

    [...] Wesley presents Suck it Up; Or, Making the Best of a Situation posted at Pick the Brain – Self Improvement, Individuality, and the Pursuit of [...]

  • http://mysuperchargedlife.com/blog/get-through-setbacks/ How To Get Through The Setbacks In Life | My Super-Charged Life

    [...] Do not become a whiner!  In the beginning, you can indulge yourself with a brief, private pity party.  Get it all out.  Cry, fuss, stomp your feet and ask “Why me?”  But, once you’ve done this leave it behind and get focused on the recovery. [...]

  • http://www.mypromdresses.co.uk/ prom gowns

    Really very nice site!I have you bookmarked your site.

  • http://richardekaloust.info/an-analytical-approach-to-self-improvement/ An Analytical Approach to Self Improvement | Richard Kaloust Motivation

    [...] Personal Experience – These articles share important lessons that I’ve learned through experience. They focus on my thought process and the mental breakthrough that lead to success. These articles convey knowledge well because shared experiences create a bond of mutual understanding between reader and writer. Examples include: Overcoming a Loss of Motivation and Making the Best of a Situation. [...]