I prefer the Buddha's simile of two arrows: the first arrow of the actual pain is not avoidable, but the second arrow is something we inflict upon ourselves in

I prefer the Buddha's simile of two arrows: the first arrow of the actual pain is not avoidable, but the second arrow is something we inflict upon ourselves in response to the pain. Marcus here makes it sound like we can totally avoid pain, but actually we can't, that first arrow will always hit and we shouldn't pretend like there isn't pain. The second arrow is what we have control over: our own personal response to the pain, seeing it as bad or good, wanting it to be gone.