The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience – but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. ~ Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

How fitting is it to have a Martin Luther King Jr. quote in January as we help celebrate a mans greatest and selfless sacrifice to the advancement of an entire nation? Since Dr. King was a black leader/activist, you might think he would be a Black Panther, but he was far from conforming to the crowd and using violence as an answer. Today we have these woke children walking around with their Black Lives Matter t-shirts burning down buildings in the name of a peaceful protest. Though times have changed, we can learn a thing or two about Dr. King’s life and style.

Dr. King was not part of the woke culture and saw meaningful change rather than the superficial change many new generations are fighting for. One of the main reasons many people cannot see change like Dr. King is the lack of critical thinking in our society today. Critical thinking is as outdated as the first iPhone. Though, just because it is outdated doesn’t mean we cannot use it in our world today. Today, having a slow phone with limited capabilities is anything but trending; we can still look on the side that we have a phone. The same can be true for our minds.

We might not ask our mind deep and meaningful questions, but as long as we have a mind that is our own, we cannot be controlled. Before I break down this quote and get into the tune-up series, I want to address the idea of being a man. Though this quote can have she inserted for him, Dr. King knew something our woke culture doesn’t know very well, and that is – a weak man is not the same as a weak woman. In simple terms, a weak man will cause more harm to himself and society if he doesn’t learn strength.

The Ultimate Measure of Man

• Easy Times Create Weak Men

• Tough Times Create Strong Men

• The Solution

Part 1. Moments of Comfort and Convenience

I speak about this idea often on the Podcast because it is important to understand that since we are in easy times, many people can choose comfort and weakness. There is a big difference between choosing easy and comfortable and choosing what makes the most sense. Right now, to our brains, comfort makes the most sense. One of the reasons is that our brain is hardwired to conserve energy. If we can save energy, then that is the most common sense decision. At first, it will appear as common sense, but in time it will appear as hardship.

Those hard times that sprout because we choose not to take action or be deliberate in who we are becoming will be the downfall of many men. If we look at men today, many wastes their days behind screens. Whether playing video games or watching porn, men choose not to be more deliberate and take action. For these men, life could be better, but it is just comfortable enough that they do not have the urge to take action toward a better future; they accept comfort and convenience.

The issue with these men is not that they are choosing weakness; they want more but want to make changes to get it. It is easy to say you want to reach a goal in life or you want something because it will make you happy. The problem with this type of thinking/hoping/dreaming is that no action often accompanies it. These men want to make changes, but they will not. This problem is like a building whose supports are wet cement. Those supports are supposed to be strong, but they are weak.

The great news about this area is that if you have the correct mindset, you can easily change for the better. Getting out of your comfort zone will require a strong mindset because you must pass through fear to reach your growth zone. Fear has stopped more men from taking action than angry or upset housewives. Yes, change is good, but for change to occur, we must be courageous and willing to fail. Success is not built on perfection; it is built on failure.

Part 2. Times of Challenge and Controversy

The idea of the tough times we are creating in part one might be bad at first glance, but what comes next is amazing. This idea of growing into power is similar to how a trapped dog is more likely to attack when trapped in a corner. When we have no other choice for survival, we will do anything to keep living. The issue with what is happening today is not that the brain will not activate our survival instinct but rather that our body and mind cannot handle what comes after.

Let’s face it; most men are weak and out of shape. They have bad habits, no drive/motivation, and have become more cowardly than Courage, the cowardly dog. Though courage is built on fear, there is a difference between building on fear for change and building on fear because of circumstance. Many men have a victim mindset, stopping them from reaching their fullest potential. The tough times we all will have to go through at some point in our life are not there to make us hate life but rather help us appreciate life.

I can recall the aftermath of the most difficult times in my life. I felt like my world was over when I was going through pain and struggle. I had hit rock bottom and had to decide to stay or get back up. At that moment, I realized that bad times are not all bad. They can bring about growth and abundance if used correctly. The issue many men have is that when they get that pain or hardship, they retreat.

When we run away from what can make us stronger, we continue to be in the cycle of weakness. That is why tough times can create strong men, but it will only happen if those men use those tough times to be stronger. This is something we are not taught or even understand instinctually. Since we put our hand in the fire and got burned, we think we should stay away from the fire. However, if we can harness the power of fire, we can cook food, warm our bodies, and light our way toward a better destination. Many men fail to see that their failure or moment of hurt can transform them.

There is also the idea in this area that we are like those cornered dogs I spoke about. They will only take action once we have no other option. This will be the case for many, but have you ever seen a chihuahua fight a pit bull? If not, you can use your imagination. It is not about the bark, it is about the bite, and when you are cornered, you better have a strong bite. However, right now, we have many men who are chihuahuas, these self-proclaimed keyboard warriors who are all bark and no bite, tough times for them will look different.

These weak men must first lose their sense of normal and any outlet they use for pleasure. Once all those outlets are taken away, they must be given hardship, and their basic necessities (food, water, safety, etc.) must be taken away. Once these men realize that they are not going to make it unless they make a change, then and only then will they begin to make changes. Of course, some outliers in the mix will choose the easiest solution, like threatening others or illegal means. Still, if that chihuahua is going up against a big dog, it is only a matter of time before they learn the lesson the hard way.

The hard way is that tough times can create strong men and make weak men think irrationally. Jordan Peterson has often said that if you think a strong man is bad, wait until you can see what a weak man can do. He says that because he understands that desperation leads to an irrational thought process that can cause a mass psychosis effect, creating a herd of weak-minded people who have clouded judgment and that innate urge for survival. So, either these tough times will create fake strength or true strength.

Part 3. The Solution

Looking at the quote Dr. King said about men is talking about what is the ultimate measure of a man. Many men can be comfortable where they are, but if their life was not going well, could they stand the same? As much as I would like to say that the majority of men will stand if they had no other choice would be a lie. Though these men have the potential, they also have a force greater than chance and probability, which is comfort in bad habits.

There are no consequences if you eat poorly or do not exercise in the short term. However, some adverse health issues can arise in the long term if they are not dutiful in caring for their body. Yes, the body is the most important aspect, but the most important part of overcoming challenges and controversy is understanding your situation and those around you.

It might seem counterintuitive to focus on other people when you should be focusing on your personal development. The trick is to understand who is around you and what type of environment you are in. If you are in an environment where many men choose inaction and do not push themselves in life, then there is a higher probability that will be your future. However, there is the other side where you can make some changes if you surround yourself with people with a growth mindset. Dr. King knew this well because he was not talking about how we have the choice to be at peace and calm but rather how we can see growth in uncertainty. Anyone can roll over in die; it takes someone special to want to fight to live on.

Though the instinct to preserve life is instinctual, we continually do things that prove otherwise. If we wanted to make some change and find a solution for our challenges, we would face those fears and insecurities head-on. You cannot run forever; you can try, but you will have to face those tough times if you want to be strong.

The challenges that you are facing can be easily overcome. You can get a coach or develop a strategy for changing your life. If you cannot do either, you can join the crowd and wait for something bad to happen. When that negativity comes into your life, you can rise or stay at the bottom because of it. Think of it as the balance of life. We all want a good life, but only a few are willing to endure hardship.

Dr. King was implying that since you allow certain things to happen in your life when things are good, you cannot expect fortunate outcomes if you do not act favorably in uncertain and controversial times.  This is something that can be attained with a simple mindset shift. For some, though, they learn a sense of helplessness at a young age, which shows up in adulthood. The secret remedy is to heal from our past wounds and traumas. If we can do that, we will learn how to be stronger.

In closing, judging an army by its strength in calm and peaceful times is the same as the noteworthiness of a fish to protect your home. There needs to be data to show that they are ready to change. You might not know all the steps to get out of your comfort, but if you can begin the process, you will begin to understand how to overcome whatever comes your way. I will not sit here and write and say that the process is easy. Changing your mindset can be accompanied by a lot of pain, but the result can be a positive change. If you learn to embrace those dark days the same as you do those calm, you will stand steadfast in any environment. The goal is not to be weak and then choose strength but to understand your strength and grow into it in any situation.

Until then,

Michael Rearden

Founder of Reven Concepts