There was a friend of mine who we have always been warning about the way he drives. He was so reckless and over-speeding. But each time, he would give excuses for it that he was running behind schedule, then he would tell us about how he is a skilled driver. Until one day, he was engaged in a minor accident, even though no one was hurt, but it shook him, and he also had to pay to fix his car. Then he remembered all the warnings, and then had to accept the truth in a hard way. He became more careful, and learnt his lessons. You may not like the truth, and it may not even feel comfortable, but it is still the truth nonetheless. Sometimes, it is the truth you avoid that breaks you.
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One of the most difficult things for a lot of people is not just about hearing words, but it is accepting the truth. This is because it challenges them sometimes or makes them feel uncomfortable. More often than not, you need humility, courage, and openness to accept the truth without feeling attacked personally, or without feeling broken. One of the amazing things about truth is that it is always available, but not everyone is ready to accept it. You cannot determine or alter the truth to suit you. This is why the truth lives through the ages and stands the test of time.
You have to learn to welcome and receive the truth even when it is uncomfortable. This can come as correction from your parents or mentor, an advice from a friend or colleague, a feedback from your teacher, or even a quiet realisation and conviction within your own self. Of course, your own mind can actually give you the truth, even your conscience. The major challenge is not that the truth is hidden; of course it is not hidden; but simply that it contradicts what you may believe. As a human, you will more likely prefer comfort over correction, and even approval over accountability and responsibility. But what you have to understand is that growth does not live in comfort, rather it lives in the truth.
Imagine a student who keeps failing, but each time, he will blame the teacher or the school or even the system. But deep down within him, he knows that he did not prepare for the exam, and that he has not been taking his studies seriously. As long as he does not accept the truth, then nothing will change. This same thing also happens in other aspects of life apart from academics, like in relationship, personal habit, and even in decision-making. It feels easy to ignore the truth, but what you also need to understand is that it will also come with long-term consequences.
There are some traits you need to possess or work on, in order to be able to welcome the truth even when it seems uncomfortable. The first one is humility. Trust me, it takes a considerable amount of strength to be able to admit that you were wrong or that you need to improve. Some people may mistake humility for weakness, but it is among the greatest strengths that anyone can actually have. It is when you are humble enough to welcome corrections that you will open the doors of improvement. But by rejecting correction, you will simply close the door of growth and of improvement.
Another important trait that you must possess is discernment. As much as you are to welcome the truth, but you should also know that not everything spoken is the truth. More so, not every word deserves your attention. So you should be able to know the right words; especially from those who genuinely want you to grow and improve. There are sometimes that someone might be praising you and you may think that they mean well for you, but they may not. Whereas the person who always corrects and challenges you might even be the one who means well for you. So you should be able to know and discern the right word that you need.
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Lastly, you should also be able to listen to your conscience. There is a quiet inward voice that normally whispers to you about a decision or an action. More often than not, you actually know the truth, because you have a conscience, but you may just choose to ignore it because it is inconvenient. The inner voice that talks to you about your actions, intentions, and decisions, is often the most honest, and should not be ignored if you want to go far in life.
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