Trauma can save your life

Why hard things make you stronger

I’m working on a new YouTube video about trauma.

It will fire you up…

Here’s why:

• Our society is weak

• People complain about everything

• Losers are setting the rules and winners aren’t speaking up about it

• There’s always a “victim” somewhere

• The more you complain the longer it takes to move forward

I had an interesting conversation with my wife a few days ago…

A few meetings went late, I wasn’t home at the time I committed to, and she said “You need to do better.” That triggered me, and we got into a debate (ahem, a *polite* disagreement).

I said, “You don’t know how busy I am… look at this calendar.”

She said, “Oh no… who’s in control of your calendar?”

She knows how to win an argument… but I sat there and pondered my response. And realized, the only way I could come back with a legitimate “excuse” would be to absolve my power.

I could pick between the following options:

• Win the argument and lose control over myself & my choices

• Keep control over myself & my choices and admit she was right

If it weren’t for my wife, even I could have slipped into victim mode and started blaming everything (and everyone) else for my problems. This is a disease…

The problem with society is most of the humans on planet earth would rather win an argument than be EFFECTIVE in life…

Here’s why trauma can be powerful: when you go through something traumatic, it “resets” your grid and your rating system. I think of Theodore Roosevelt, who would disappear for a week, two weeks, a month when something got particularly difficult.

What was he doing?

…running 10 hours a day with no food.

…riding horseback until his body gave out from lack of water.

…finding the most dangerous place in the world at the time and trying to survive it (“River of Doubt” is a good book on this).

Roosevelt practiced difficulty to make his mind and body stronger. It’s called “hormesis,” using pain to reset your dopamine.

Modern day examples of hormesis:

• Cold plunges

• Running

• Fasting

• Getting beat to shit in your business

It’s all the same…

Trauma resets you.

Purges you.

Makes you decide whether you actually want something or whether you’re a liar.

Roosevelt understood this and used it.

Your body keeps a record of traumatic experiences and tries to shield you from them. But in some cases, your body uses them and propels you forward. The difference lies not in the situation itself but how you interpret the situation.

A winner says, “Holy sh*t that was hard… I’m better because of it.” It’s almost a badge of honor — in fact, I can tell you this: the last 6 months I’ve hade several incredibly long, bitter, and troubling setbacks.

I look at people online today and I think, “Lol… they have no problems. They’re not a legitimate threat to me anymore.” Why? Because pain increases your internal resolve. I know I can make it through THAT? I can probably make it through anything.

So long as the difficulties I inflict upon myself are HARDER than the difficulties others thrust upon me — I am in control.

You want to be a winner?

You want to crush your competition?

Your want to be better than all the rest combined?

Here’s a podcast for you… listen to it and do your job.

I’m rooting for you.