Graced by wisdom from the East on today’s quest trail – we love that this proverb is so simple and practical, and yet incredibly profound. This quote helps us realize that IF we are to exist in this physical reality – and IF we want to become a (metaphorical) gem – we have to go through friction.
We’ve heard the science behind it – you know!…How the rock gets turned into a diamond after immense heat and pressure are applied. And, without that pressure, the rock basically remains coal, and never gets the chance to embody the diamond it was intended to be…(poor rock never reaches its purpose)!
And for us humans? If trials are the equivalent to the polishing of the gem…It’s up to us to decide whether to stay coal forever, or to get into that friction and that fire – and become the gem. The cool thing is, we get to CHOOSE the pressure we apply to ourselves (sorry real rock friends)!
So what’s keeping us from becoming the gems? When we have a fixed mindset, we often see pressure as a problem (and something to avoid at all costs). But – what if we NEED a little bit of that pressure to become the gem, and our best selves?! While we do need friction to be polished, whether we allow ourselves to suffer from the friction, is completely up to us. And maybe (just maybe), that feedback we receive that really hurts...that’s just the critical input we NEED to become the gem! And maybe – we should stop avoiding this friction, and instead just lean in and start polishing ourselves!
Need to hear a little pep talk for this quest? We’re here for you! Listen to the podcast right here!
