Why Hardship Is The Fuel Of True Greatness: Jonny Kim

They say comfort breeds success—lies! Participation trophies and safe spaces might make you feel good, but they won't make you a doctor, an astronaut, a Navy SEAL, or anything truly remarkable.?

Look at Jonny Kim—a testament to the power of grit. He didn't waltz into greatness on a red carpet. He faced unimaginable hardship, and that's exactly what fueled his phenomenal journey.

Jonny Kim's story echoes Angela Duckworth's research in her groundbreaking book Grit. Remember the saying, "Do you have that dog in you?" As Eric Thomas puts it, that's grit in a nutshell. It's the undying fire within, the relentless refusal to quit when the world throws its worst at you.

Jonny Kim's fire was forged in the crucible of a harsh childhood marked by abuse. He didn't have the luxury of a cushioned upbringing. He was forced to develop that inner steel early on, the kind that emerges from overcoming adversity, not avoiding it.

Here's why hardship, like Jonny Kim's experience, cultivates true greatness:

Pressure Makes Diamonds: Comfort breeds complacency.

In the face of difficulty, we're pushed beyond our limits, forced to adapt, and emerge stronger. Jonny Kim didn't become a top-tier medic by patching scraped knees at summer camp. He honed his skills under fire, making life-or-death decisions in the chaos of war.

Hardship Builds Resilience: ?

Life throws punches. Get used to it. When you've faced genuine hardship, you develop a mental toughness most people can only dream of. Jonny Kim staring down enemy combatants or the relentless pressure of astronaut training? Those experiences build a resilience that allows you to bounce back from anything.

It Reveals Your True Self:??

Comfort zones are breeding grounds for mediocrity. In the face of adversity, you discover your true potential and inner strength. Jonny Kim didn't become an astronaut because he aced a childhood spelling bee. He faced challenges head-on, proving his grit and determination to the world.

Look, comfort is nice. But it's not what makes legends. Jonny Kim's story is proof.? If you want to achieve greatness, stop running from hardship. Embrace it, use it as fuel, and let it forge you into the best version of yourself.

Do you think Jonny Kim can operate on a broken arm in space because he spent his days sipping lattes? No way. He faced the fire, and that fire made him extraordinary.

Some might say grit is innate. But Angela Duckworth and Jonny Kim's story suggest otherwise.? It's a learned trait, one that can be cultivated.?

If you were fortunate enough to have a sheltered upbringing, then YOU MUST actively seek out challenges for growth. By constantly pushing your comfort zone – be it in health, business, fitness, or relationships – you build that mental persistence and character. So when life throws its inevitable curveballs, you can draw upon past experiences to rise above.

So whatever it is you know you should be doing, whether its going for that run, eating right, working on your business. Remember that it's not meant to feel good all the time; in fact, probably more than 60% of the time, it will be a hard grind of tasks that are uncomfortable, unrelenting, and downright tough things that you would rather not do. But if you want the results, if you want greatness in any of its forms, if you want success, then be disciplined and keep pushing through the fire.

This could help someone today; it could be a source of pushing through your own challenges!?

But remember, any trait you admire in others can be found in yourself with the right pressure to acquire it. Embrace the forge, and step out into your greatness.

"I'm not gifted. I'm not smarter than everybody else. I'm not stronger. I just have the ability to stick to a plan and not quit." - Jonny Kim.?

If you were interested in the case study this week, you can check out the full interview on the Jocko Willink Podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yujP3-AxXsI&ab_channel=JockoPodcast?

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