It really depends on your own threshold to pain....and the body part where you are getting tattooed at...the fleshy the area is, the less painful...the bony parts like the wrist, foot, ankle and rib cage are the ones that hurt the most...
The pain is really nothing you cant bear...It will be worth it in the end as long as its a design that you really love...
There are certain things that you can do in order to distract yourself from pain.To minimize the pain during the process, you should go there with a positive attitude and mind over matter. Instead of fear and anxiety, try to relax yourself by listening to music so bring an ipod with you. Also, work with a tattoo artist that you are comfortable with.