“In this world, there are only two types of people. The first, when facing hardship, wishes others would feel the same pain. The second, when dealing with difficulty, hopes others never have to experience it. Be the second.” — Isman HS
I first heard this line on a YouTube podcast, Agak Laen (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRVE57f_HZU). At first, it felt like just another clever quote. But the more I thought about it, the more it connected with real moments I’ve lived with my team.
Long Nights and Shared Battles
I still remember one particular night—our systems went down during the peak hours. We gathered the team, logged in from multiple locations, and spent the entire night troubleshooting the issue. Coffee cups piled up, eyes turned red, and nobody even thought of sleep.
It would have been easy for me as a leader to say, “I’ve been through worse, so you should just handle it too.” But instead, I jumped in shoulder-to-shoulder with the team. Not because I had all the answers, but because I wanted them to feel they weren’t carrying the weight alone. We fought through the night together, and by sunrise, the system was stable again.
That experience didn’t just fix a technical problem—it built trust. The team knew I wasn’t the kind of leader who passes down pain as a rite of passage.
Guiding Through Projects, Not Pushing Pain
Another time, during a critical project, tensions ran high with both internal teams and external partners. Every delay, every hiccup, had the potential to turn into finger-pointing.
In those moments, I reminded myself of that “second type of person.” Instead of letting frustration spread, I focused on guiding:
- helping the team see the bigger picture,
- giving clear insights into what could be improved,
- and aligning with partners on strategies for recovery rather than blame.
It wasn’t about making the project flawless—it was about making sure everyone walked away stronger, not more bitter.
The Bigger Lesson
What I’ve realized is this: hardship is a given in our line of work. Systems fail. Projects derail. Sleep is sacrificed.
But hardship doesn’t have to be multiplied. When we use our struggles as shields—absorbing some of the heat, giving perspective instead of pressure—we create space for others to grow without being crushed.
And strangely, that’s when teams thrive the most.
Not because things got easier, but because we chose empathy over ego.
Closing Thought
Every time we face difficulty, we get to decide:
- Do we turn it into a burden that spreads bitterness?
- Or into a shield that builds resilience and trust?
I’m still learning. Sometimes frustration takes over. However, this quote from Isman HS keeps drawing me back to the kind of leader I aspire to be.
👉 Be the second type. Always.
PS: You can also find this article on my LinkedIn.
