Acharya Prashant distinguishes between two types of suffering: needless suffering and genuine suffering. He begins with an anecdote about a senior monk who practices austerity by wearing only a single piece of cloth in the cold. The speaker questions the utility of such self-inflicted suffering, suggesting it is needless, especially when modern technology and science have provided means like medicine to alleviate physical discomfort. He argues it is nonsensical to endure a headache and claim that as the Self (Atma), one is unaffected. Instead, one should use the available remedies. He states that all the suffering the monk has accumulated, or rather earned, over his lifetime is needless. In contrast, there is a legitimate and genuine suffering that comes in the process of self-realization, which one must go through. This suffering is a direct consequence of awareness. For instance, a person may hold a self-image of being a worthy, honest, and loving individual. However, the more one's eyes open in a spiritual sense, the more one realizes the falsity of this image and sees how one has been exploiting others, has been misled, and has lived a life of self-deception. This realization is not pleasant; it is a heartbreak that shatters one's self-esteem and hurts the ego. Acharya Prashant explains that awareness brings suffering in its wake, and one cannot awaken without experiencing this genuine suffering. Many people prefer not to wake up precisely to avoid this pain. He asserts that self-realization is not a blissful or pleasant experience but involves seeing the futility of one's life. One must be prepared for this, be vulnerable, and allow this suffering to come. He concludes that one cannot reach the Truth with the ego intact; the journey entails the dismantling of the ego, which is a painful process.