Only a coward waits to be taken like a lamb from the fold or a fox from a trap.

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Each Thursday I select a Viking quote and whist sometimes they are randomly chosen on occasions I select them based upon their relevance or meaning to an aspect of my life. This is the case today.

The word coward is not one I'd associate with myself; it's not ego or hubris speaking, just that the word doesn't suit my character. I've been called a coward...Hmm, let me count the times, oh yeah, a grand total of once and that indirectly. I didn't like it and it left me feeling a little angry to be honest. Considering the quality of the garbage-human who said it I figured I'd let it go as coming from that individual it has no real meaning or relevance - It's that word though that prompted me to select this quote though.

This week's Viking quote

Only a coward waits to be taken like a lamb from the fold or a fox from a trap. - The Saga of the People of Laxárdalr

This is a very cool quote, at least that's how I perceive it. You see, it's a quote that, as with many Viking quotes, exists to hold oneself accountable. There's no wonder quotes like this exist considering the Vikings ability to make difficult things happen; they had ownership, took responsibility of themselves and their actions and rarely shied away from taking the hard road to success. Sure, that often involved raiding and plundering but they did it with focus and that's why they were so successful in their endeavours.

Like the Vikings we often find ourselves in difficult situations. It could be an awkward work situation or a failing relationship. Maybe a rivalry between friends that blew out of proportion, a pressured financial situation or an emergency, threat or civil turmoil. It could be a health challenge, physical or mental to name a few. We have all faced them, or will. It's at those times when this quote could come to bare and make a difference to one's outcome through inspiring the right attitude and decisions.

This quote says take action.

In that difficult situation don't sit inactive, to be taken like a lamb from the fold, act instead! Sounds easy? Yeah well it's not. If it was easy we'd all be happy and never have a care in the world. But we do right?

I guess like most thing we want to achieve it starts with a goal. The Vikings began that way too; sack York, or defeat King Aelle of Northumbria for instance. A goal.

Make it specific, measurable, achievable and timely and one has a pretty good goal. Then comes the evaluation, strategy and plan and finally execution. Sounds easy, but if it's so easy why don't people have goals? I don't mean loose dreams, I mean goals as defined by those elements above. Well...They're afraid of failing most often, so best not to start because who likes failing? Of course, we all know that failure is a great teacher and so in failing to begin one has failed and not learned. It's quite simple. Fail more, is a good strategy as it means one is trying, learning and retrying. Success will come.

Difficult situations happen, it's abundantly clear that if a person has not experienced it they probably will at some point. Hiding from it through denial, inactivity and failure to plan and act won't make it go away. To move something forward action is required. It's quotes like the one above that the Vikings came up with to help them self-motivate, to find the right attitude and to stand up, form the shield wall and move into battle or simply bare the brunt of an enemy charge, a difficult situation.

Our battles are not as destructive generally but they can be! Sometimes they are with ourselves, with ourselves and sometimes our difficult times can have terrible effects. By taking stock, evaluating and planning then acting we can move towards our goals and make them realities which means we can mitigate the negative effects of the difficult situations. It just make s a lot of sense to me.

I'm going to leave you with a Latin phrase that I like and has meant a lot to me in the battles I've faced, most of which required me to overcome my own fears, find courage and the right attitude to move the situation to resolution. It goes like this:

Vincit qui se vincit - He (she) conquers who conquers himself (herself)

It means that the power to succeed at those things we desire lies within us, we just have to overcome fear, doubt, insecurity and negativity. Do that and you shall not be taken like a lamb from the fold or a fox from a trap.

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So that's it this week a quote about finding courage within to move one's difficult situations forward to resolution. I don't know all y'all but I hope that if you find yourself in a tight spot you remember to look within and find the determination to stand and a step forward. It's all about reward for effort. Make an effort and you shall have the reward.

Skol.