I got sucked into a Netflix documentary about how Vikings made their amazing swords. They had forging technology that was waaay ahead of their time and had swords that made them powerful warriors. I watched as a man recreated how the Vikings forged their swords. I was mesmerized at the how the pounding, the heat and the pressure turned crude iron into nearly indestructible steel.
It’s easy to apply that metaphor to human development. Learn about the training Navy SEALS go through and you’ll see forging at its finest. But I wonder why some people crumble under the pressure and heat and others emerge like a Viking sword. What is it that makes the difference?
For me, I try to look for the good and take things one step at a time. I believe that the worst moments are the seeds for the best. That’s a philosophy that keeps me moving when I know I should stop. It gets me through the tough times. I also train hard in the morning because I believe that a good physical beat-down prepares me for the day. But you have to have a goal first. You can’t take a beating just for a beating’s sake.
So to answer my own question, I think what makes the difference is having a purpose bigger than yourself. You have to have a reason for living. That’s what gets you through the heat and the pressure of your forging. It’s the what turns your iron into steel.