“He who sweats more in training bleeds less in war.”
— Spartan Creed

According to the Greek biographer and historian Plutarch, Spartan training was so intense that it made actual warfare feel easy. In fact, the warriors in the Spartan army often looked forward to the fighting as a break from their training!

You can use this concept in developing your own skills and habits. Be deliberate in your practice and training. Push yourself hard to improve whether it be physical, mental, or emotional. Eventually, the difficulty of your training will exceed the challenges you face in the real world, making them quite easy to handle.

“Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you.“
— Oprah Winfrey

This is a great argument for following your passion.

When you do something that you love, it makes you happy. That happiness gives you more energy, further enabling you to do better and more work. It’s a positive cycle that helps you to constantly improve and achieve big goals.

When you don’t follow your passion, all the work drains energy from you. Eventually you’ll get burnt out and it’s far more likely that you’ll give up.

"Others may know pleasure, but pleasure is not happiness. It has no more importance than a shadow following a man."
— Muhammad Ali

Simple pleasures don’t give you intrinsic happiness, only fleeting dopamine. Doing the hard stuff that makes you improve and gives you purpose sparks true happiness. Examples:

• A big bowl of ice cream might taste good and make you feel pleasure for a short time. But a strong, healthy, and fit body will have you feeling great all day and enhance your performance in other areas of life

• Skipping out on your work, duties, and responsibilities feels relieving at first, but in the long run leads to disappointment and regret. Sticking to your commitments and working hard is tough, but it leads to you achieving your long-term goals and looking back on your life with pride