You may be surprised to find out that the blacksmith offers one of the most precious lessons about success - a lesson that will help you achieve massive success.
Look at the procedure for working with raw metal that every blacksmith follows:
1. Heat the metal until it's red-hot.
2. Mold it into the desired form by hitting it with a heavy hammer.
3. Plunge it into a bucket of cold water.
4. Watch the metal crackle in response to the sudden change in temperature.
5. Repeat the process until the metal achieves its perfect shape and form.
Sometimes, the metal can't withstand such harsh treatment, and it breaks. The metal has proven to be useless, so the blacksmith throws it away.
Now, you're probably wondering what this has to do with succeeding in life!
Here is the blacksmith's lesson, a lesson that you MUST always keep in mind:
"In order to succeed, you must accept the blows of life!"
The changes, challenges, and failures you'll experience in your life will mold you into the shape you need to be in and prepare you for success.
You must be hard and solid to succeed. Success is never given to the weak. You still have much experience to gain and many lessons to learn before you'll be deserving of the level of success you aim for.
And until you've been molded into your best form, you must never, ever give up. If you are unable to tolerate the tough requirements of success, life may find you useless and just throw you away.
Thomas Edison once said, "Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up."
You only fail when you give up. Keep that knowledge close to your heart. Know that the moment you give up is the moment you were closest to success. Just give it one more push.
If you believe in your dream and you're happy with the path you've chosen for your life, you must persist along the way no matter how bumpy the road is.
The journey to your dream may be long and difficult, but don't lose sight of the rewards! The most euphoric moment of your life will be the moment when you reach the top - the moment when you can finally hear, see, touch, and smell the fruits of your labor, the beauty of your dream, and the value of your legacy.
Heed the blacksmith's lesson and be a rock-solid person. Never give up. Persistence is the most important trait you can have, and is the key to your success. I can tell you with confidence that you will NEVER succeed without persistence.
Are you ready to get red-hot, to withstand the blows of the hammer, to plunge yourself into cold water - and then sizzle and crackle your way to success?
