I hate it when I’m injured. I hate any injury, not just those that result from weight lifting – everything from a stubbed toe to a broken bone. It’s not so much that I fear the pain, but rather that I fear the limitations that injury might place on my regular activities and routine (especially bodybuilding).

Over the course of my weightlifting career, though, I’ve come to accept them. If you spend all of your time worrying about injuries and how they’re affecting you, you’ll end up depressed and unmotivated. Instead, try to learn to recognize injuries as minor bumps along the greater road to success.

“No journey is perfect,” writes Sean Nalewanyj in one of his best motivational articles. “The difference between a successful bodybuilder and an unsuccessful one is in the way that they handle adversity.”

He couldn’t be more right. Next time you experience an injury, regardless of severity, take it in stride. Trust me, losing your cool or fretting about the injury will only do you more harm.