You Don't Have to Suffer to Succeed
There’s nothing noble in senseless, unnecessary suffering.
What if I told you... you don’t have to suffer to succeed?
Lately, I’ve been reconnecting with lots of old friends, and I’ve noticed that people around my age tend to diverge into two paths:
Those who still pursue traditional corporate jobs; and
Those who choose less conventional paths—whether it’s entrepreneurship, freelancing, remote work, etc.
…and the contrast between them is stark. I’m generalizing here, but the pattern is too obvious for this not to be a trend.
The latter group is… alive. There’s spark in their eyes. They talk about what they’re building with passion and pride.
They’re not necessarily happier—after all, there will always be obstacles in any path you choose. But through their stories, I’ve learned what a privilege it is to struggle in a pursuit of your own choosing.
The former group, on the other hand—those still in the corporate rat race… they’re mostly burnt out. They complain about their annoying bosses, fake and gossipy coworkers, office politics, unrealistic KPIs.
And what breaks my heart the most is… I can barely see life in their eyes. Their exhaustion is so visible—there must be something powerful keeping them going in that state. Duty? Fear? Sheer will? I may never know for sure.
What I know is, everyone’s doing their best, the only way they know how.
I don’t know exactly how much my friends make, but if it were me, I wonder:
What kind of paycheck would make that level of daily misery worth it?
Let’s do some math. When I moved back to Indonesia, I looked into UX writing roles. As far as I know, the average salary is around 12 million IDR (~700 USD) per month. That’s actually not bad by local standards.
But then I ran the numbers for my home coffee business, and it turns out I can make the same monthly income by selling 25 bottles of coffee a day—which has its own challenges, surely, but still sounds way more preferable than the pressure, the politics, and the anxiety of corporate hustle culture.
To me, it’s obvious which one to choose. And this is but one example.
I mean, this guy seems to have it figured out:
So… I keep wondering: Why choose a miserable path when a more peaceful one is available? Especially when both offer similar monetary rewards?
I still don’t have a clear answer. At this stage, I’ve simply accepted that most people willingly choose misery because they’ve been told it’s the “right” thing to do—that somehow, suffering is a prerequisite for success.
There seems to be a sense of pride we associate with being exhausted, sleep-deprived, and falling sick from overworking—not from the fruits of the labor, but from the labor itself. And that is kinda screwed up, if you think about it.
I’ve had a very non-traditional career doing what I love (e.g. writing, making art, brewing coffee), and while there have been times when I had to starve, there have also been times when I made just as much—if not more—than my corporate friends. But even then, I still feel guilty. It’s like I cheated somehow. Like I’m not supposed to earn this much and enjoy it at the same time.
That’s how deep this capitalist lie goes. We’ve been taught that pain makes you worthy, and joy disqualifies you. “Work will set you free,” right?
I do agree that all meaningful achievements require a degree of hardship, but not when the pain is senseless and unnecessary. Post-workout soreness is healthy pain. A migraine is not. You see what I’m saying?
My friend, you’re allowed to make a living without dying inside. You can still pay your bills and provide for your family without sacrificing your peace.
It might take time to figure out how, but don’t let anyone tell you it’s impossible or unrealistic. You don’t have to suffer to succeed.