“Iron sharpens iron.” This is a saying you will hear over and over again in many martial arts gyms, maybe even football practices. At least, that was the saying that circulated over and over again when I was training. In their context, it basically means that the only way for a fighter, or player, to get better and tougher is to face off against bigger, stronger, and tougher opponents. It is a trial by fire mentality in which, yes it is going to suck as you go through it, but you are going to come out the other side stronger, more confident, and an overall tougher athlete. This saying is so prevalent, we can even find reference to it in the Bible (Proverbs 27:17) which states “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.”
Now, I no longer train in mixed martial arts nor do I play football anymore, yet this saying is something that has stuck with me since those days. It holds a special place in my heart and I see the remnants of it in day to day life. Let’s extrapolate what was happening in the gym, and see if we can apply it to our daily lives, and more importantly, how we can draw inspiration from it as sufferers of chronic disease.
In the gym, this saying was applicable during any sort of tough event, which usually occurred outside of the regular technical skill drilling. For example, it would be applicable to sparring days, or tough fitness-based days. The same happened with football. During those tough practices, where the coach put us through the gauntlet, this would be applicable to the saying. So if we break it down, what the saying is implying is that by going through a physically challenging scenario, usually in which we would not otherwise deem possible, it is assumed that we would emerge from that scenario as a stronger athlete due to the sheer adversity of it. It is this idea that the coach or trainer is going to bring you to the very edge of your limitation in an attempt to expand it.
For me, I think of it in a way that if it works in the sports dimension, why would it not work in any other dimension of my life. After the last two years of disease relapse, I can now truly say that I believe it applies to all aspects of life, not just sport. I was pushed to my edge of limitations, and in some ways still am, many times. However, unlike sport, this area of life has dire consequences and there is no option to just give up, say “I quit”, and get on the bus headed for home. In life, you don’t get that. Failure is not an option. But, I look back at it all now, and I look at myself today; I see a stronger man than I ever was. Maybe not physically, but mentally, I am definitely stronger. I’ve had to become stronger, and it was all because of the adversity I faced as a result of my disease.
I’ll be completely honest for those of you with chronic illness. You are going to face adversity. For me, in first came in the form of physical adversity of pain and a constant need for a bathroom, and was followed shortly by mental adversity of a loss of confidence and things like anxiety. I can’t be specific as to what kind of adversity you will specifically face, as I am sure each illness has its own set of varying challenges. However, the type of adversity is not what is important, but rather how you handle it. And believe me, you must handle it, and you will handle it. I know that every person out there is capable of handling whatever adversity is thrown their way. It may not always have an easy or in-your-face solution, but a solution exist, sometimes you just have to get creative.
For me, that solution is in knowing that once I come out of the adversity, I will be a stronger person for it. Just like the saying goes, “iron sharpens iron” and whatever that adversity throws at me the first time will suck, but I know that when it comes back for a second, third, or even fourth time, I will be that much stronger that I can face it again. This is why adversity is good. Although during the event of adversity, it will just plain suck; in the end, you will be better for it. You will become stronger. This is essential to remember if you have chronic illness. It’s the fact that knowing that you can handle this the next time it happens that makes it easier to get through it the first time. It is through this constant process of growing a tougher case towards our condition that makes it possible for us to get on with our lives. The more we go through, the more we can handle. With this in mind, we can go into tomorrow knowing we can tackle anything thrown at us. Continue the fight, because one day you will come through that adversity, and you will be better for it.
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