He who learns must suffer, and, even in our sleep, pain that we cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart, and in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom to us by the awful grace of God. – Aeschylus
I’ve not always had a very good record of handling challenges. However, over time, by training and practice, I would like to think that I’ve gotten better. Bushcrafting, weightlifting, and carving have all helped in different ways. But the specific practices are not as important as the general practice of embracing the more difficult option.
It is well worth remembering that not everything in life is worth fighting for. In fact, most causes, battles, and challenges are just not worth it. It’s best to just let them go and move on.
However, someday, something will enter your life and change everything. This event will strike you in just the right way to motivate you as nothing ever has. You will recognize the change and know it’s time to draw a line in the sand and dig in for the long haul. Be it positive or negative, this is it, your defining struggle. Life has suddenly become very serious indeed.
When this happens, you must vigorously embark on your hero’s journey; letting determination and will drive you forward. There can be no stopping; no turning back. You must have confidence, energy and verve; bravely pushing forward undeterred.
Because at some point you will realize things are going to be much more difficult than you expected. Or, that your particular challenge could persist for a very, very long time. This is the time when the real decision is to be made. You must decide, based on principle and what is right, whether or not to continue your pursuit. In a sense your life will be on the line. Everything defining who you are or who you wish to be will be laid bare. This is a moment for pure honesty and a firm moral grounding.
To be successful in your crusade you will need to commit to this cause like you’ve never done before, so you need to be certain that the goals are moral and justified. What makes the pain and sacrifice worth it?
If you find that the answer aligns with your innermost vision, and doesn’t impose your will on others; there is no real choice. No matter how long it takes, no matter how hard it will be, no matter how deep the disappointment, pain, or anguish—you must never stop, you must never quit.
The positive
I’ve found, that in life, half of the battle is won by persistently showing up; day after day, week after week, year after year. You don’t even need to be that good, sometimes winning is simply a matter of doing as well as you can, every hour of every day of every year. Talent and smarts are important, but rarely enough. If you’re at least average at meeting the demands of the task, then having the heart to keep at it is most often the key to success.
In this world, very little worthwhile is easy. It seems that an iron will is needed to achieve the things that matter most.
In spite of this, when things are difficult and take a long time, most people look for a way out; and invariably they will find it. Bad feelings will override principle, and preference is chosen over conviction. Even your closest friends and confidants will help to justify the decision to quit.
If you find yourself looking for a way to quit in a worthwhile pursuit, take a step back and ask yourself if you were wrong about taking up the challenge in the first place. Or is this just life having its way with you? Are things really different now, or are you really just giving up because you’re beaten down and intimidated by what it’s going to take?
If the goal is still possible to attain, what would happen if you persisted? You may find that all that stands between you and success is doing the right thing and refusing to give up. Some challenges are worth pursuing simply for their own sake. Some things are worth it for reasons beyond this world. Others are not. But, what’s right is right.
However, to be on the side of right you must choose your pursuits with care and consideration. In the selection imagine yourself hitting the wall; are you willing to keep at it regardless of the difficulty? Why?
If you still wish to go on then prepare yourself for circumstances that will attempt to trick you, to fool you, to convince you that your endeavor is not really worth it after all. Resolve right at the start that you will never stop; never quit until the goal is reached.
The negative
Regardless of our preparations and our best intentions bad things will happen to the best of us. We are all vulnerable. Something will come along that will bust you up, knock you off your feet, challenging everything you know. It will be an existential event; dark and heavy with import.
These are the types of circumstances that break people, because their values hold no tenable answers or solutions. They can find no clear way forward, and become unable to function; perhaps they can’t even cope. Eventually they will look for a way out; try anything to get away from the pain.
When it’s all on the line, and it seems there’s no way out; that’s when character and virtue make all the difference. You had better have steel in your spine and virtue in your soul, because all you will have for support is the core of who you are. In the extreme, you will be left doing the right thing for its own sake, in defiance of all that’s wrong.
If necessary you can take it all the way—you can hold firm in righteous defiance until the end. Having the fortitude and commitment to take virtue all the way to your last breath is nothing short of glorious. Bad things happen, all you can do is to make the best of the journey. Doing what’s right for its own sake is justifying your life at the highest level.
When you are finally successful you will feel the weight of your character. It will have been hardened with virtue. Even when your challenge leaves scars and remains a heavy burden, you will experience a deep sense of peace. Secure in the knowledge that you did the right thing.
Hardening the heart
Of course, not every challenge or obstacle requires this kind of commitment. However, if you develop the necessary strength of character to make these decisions it will be possible for you to react in an honorable manner. To develop this capacity, use every trial you meet, big and small, to exercise your will, perseverance, and virtue. Then one day, when it becomes necessary, you’ll know, deep down, what needs to be done. And it is my fondest wish that you will find the strength and persistence necessary to complete the task.