on April 7 | in Cover, Defining the Modern Gladiator, Editor's Picks, Issue 5 | by Martin Alvarez | with No Comments

Are You a Man Born of Fire?

In our previous article, “The Modern Gladiator Man—Being Refined by Fire,” we highlighted some poor characteristic traits with the potential to creep into our personality.  We discussed feeling lethargic and non-motivated, being apathetic, isolating ourselves from human interaction either with television or technology, developing poor eating habits, and falling into lack of exercise due to feelings of depression—these feelings have happened to all of us, and as personality traits, they can certainly use refining. While many of these traits are things that we all experience from time to time (we are, after all, imperfect humans living in an imperfect world), what should be of concern to us is when these qualities become so deeply ingrained in our personality that they begin to consume our very being.

The key is to learn how to deal with “fiery” test and allow the fire not to consume us, but to rather refine and purify us!

At times, we may have emotions or desires that lead us into a depressed state because of external forces that rage out of control, like a forest set ablaze. Have you ever been depressed because you came upon economic hardship, or maybe someone you deeply cared for passed away, or perhaps you personally were affected by some illness? These are examples of things that can happen to us because external factors, but if not dealt with in the proper manner, they can spiral us into a low depth of depression that can be very difficult to climb out of. The key is to learn how to deal with “fiery” test and allow the fire not to consume us, but to rather refine and purify us!

Modern Gladiator‘s goal is to provide men with the “tools” or information that can help them get through these “fiery” times. It is in this magazine that men are educated on how to live a life of balance, structure, and harmony not only within themselves but also with their family, friends, and community.

As a community and as individuals, we all bear accountability for our actions and the course of direction we choose to take. We each have a responsibility and a duty to raise-up our brother if we see him in a downtrodden state.

But before we can assist others, we need to first take care of own well-being.

How do we do so?

As mentioned, “fiery” times befall us all, but how do we respond to these obstacles in our life? Do we just throw up our hands in despair, roll over, and play dead, or do we have the fortitude and resilience from within to put our face to the wind and deal with our misfortunes?

Rather than looking at these trying times as moments to be weak, we should view them as an opportunity to be strong. Say you lose your job—the company you work for has decided to downsize, and your position as been eliminated. How would you respond? For one thing, panicking never solves anything, so the first course of action would be to look at your current situation with a calm and rational head. Have you planned for the event of something like this occurring? Planning is essential; we never know when time and unforeseen occurrence will befall us. Laying out a strategy ahead of time and being proactive will enable us to have a formidable defense. This is true in just about any trial or “fiery” time that we can be confronted with. A fireman, before entering a burning building to save a life, has taken all of the necessary training, instruction, and precaution before he enters that volatile and potentially dangerous situation. We too must be prepared by training ourselves to know how to anticipate calamity so that when it hits—and it will—we will be in a better position and frame of mind to deal with it head-on and long-term.

Have you prepared yourself mentally and financially to deal with this critical situation?

However, once in the midst of a “fiery” predicament, that planning and training will have to “kick in” for it to have significant impact on the situation. Have you prepared yourself mentally and financially to deal with this critical situation? Are you staying positive and optimistic? Have your family realized that things will always turn out for the better if you have the proper training, discipline, strategy, and faith in tact? It is times like this where everyone needs to work together and have a plan in place that will carry you through the situation. Do not be ashamed to rely on friends, family, and others for help and support. Pride is before a crash! It is times like this when all the good things you have put out toward others will come back to reward you for your diligence in assisting them during their difficult and “fiery” times. Look at this reliance on others not as an abandonment of your manhood, but as a learning experience of furthering your knowledge of “how to” assist others in need.

When a “fiery” situation is carefully contemplated and executed in this manner, it will not consume and engulf us in flames, we will not be charred and scarred; rather, we will use the fire to strip away the dross and impurities and refine us in away that will enable us to be satisfied and content that we did not cave in but instead came off victorious!

As men, we do not run from the fire; instead we become born of it!

As men, we do not run from the fire; instead we become born of it! We embrace it, we shout at it, “Do your worst!” …And as a result, we emerge stronger…we are made of fire as a gladiator!

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