Life's Challenges Want You to Give up, Because They Can't Handle A Fight

The screenshot above is one of my morning alarms. I began sharing these a few years ago when a number of people asked me how I get up between 2:45am and 4:15am every day, and have done so since 2004. Greatness is guaranteed to no one. But when we get a jump on the day, we get a shot.

I often leave a message like this at night for myself on the alarm that will go off the following morning. This particular one is a quote from Leonidas. When a nearly million man army of Persians arrived near Sparta, the delegate told the king of Sparta that they'd be allowed to live if they simply showed allegiance to Xerxes and handed over their weapons. "Sure," Leonidas said, "Molon Labe" (come and get them).

I like to think of mental stress, the daily tasks, and perceived challenges like they are the ancient Persians. The magnitude of threat has no impact on Spartan resolve. There exists no surrender in their belief system; thus the power of their opposition doesn't matter to them.

In the same manner, regardless of my personal challenges looking like a million soldier army looming over me and my family, I'm still going to perform in my day exactly the same way as if there were none. If a conquest-thirsty tyrant shows up at my doorstep, good luck. My 300 man force will gladly go toe-to-toe with hundreds of thousands. If he and his allies are powerful enough, then they can come and try to defeat me. But I'm not going to let their attempts at intimidation change my mental state.

Life's challenges want you to just give up, because they can't handle a fight. But you can.

Molon Labe