Diamonds Are Formed Under Pressure

All I want for you is to shine! I want you to be surrounded by things that excite you and I want for you to show up for those things with an incredible amount to contribute. But how do you get to be that way where you light up everything you touch? You’ve got to become the diamond that brightly reflects everything back into the world, and maybe you’ve heard this before - Diamonds are formed under pressure.

My understanding of the physics and geology of this process is that carbon atoms deep in the Earth are exposed to really high levels of temperature and pressure. These forces cause the carbon atoms to rearrange themselves into the ornate crystalline structure that we’ve come to know as diamonds.

What this means for your life is that your environment shapes who you become, and more particularly, the ways that you grow. For example, if you want to improve a certain skill, you need to put yourself in a competitive environment that forces you to get better. This is well-documented in Anders Erricson’s iconic book titled “Peak” where he talks about this concept called deliberate practice. One of the fundamental pieces to deliberate practice is challenge - Doing the activity at a level that is beyond comfort. If you don’t do that then you will grow to meet the level you’re training at and plateau from there.

All this to say if you want to shine brighter in business, with your family, and in your passions, you need to apply a little pressure. Diamonds are formed under pressure and so is a better you. To wrap this up let me leave you with this reflection prompt: In what area of your life do you think you could push yourself more?

If you’re in the US or Canada, text me at 949-799-0788 and I’ll send you daily prompts that help you get to know yourself better and build a more meaningful life every day. 

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