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Are You Made of Mettle?

Are You Made of Mettle?

When you hear that term, most of us think you are speaking of the man of steel, Superman. But being made of mettle has a very similar meaning. To be said to be made of mettle is a compliment of being strong enough to overcome life’s serious obstacles or a hero. The dictionary defines mettle as courage and fortitude; a mettle of a man, disposition or temperament. It is hard to know a person’s mettle until challenged by overwhelming adversity.

One of history’s great stories of a man of mettle happened in the early to mid-1800s. Born in the Kentucky in 1809 and later raised in Indiana, young Abraham had a medical issue that his bones grew out of proportion to his body. No one at the time knew what it was or how to treat it, but it was very painful growing up. We now think it may have been Marfan syndrome, which was finally discovered in the 1960s. Growing up with agenizing pain will do one of two things, build mettle and cause someone to take their own life. Young Abraham was certainly the first with proving his mettle and it would serve him well his entire life.

Young Abraham overcame pain, family tragedy, and many tough jobs growing up. He wanted to go to law school but was rejected. He was fascinated with politics. In 1834, he held his first office in the state legislature after losing in 1832. Politics would not come easy to Abraham. He had a nervous breakdown after the death of his sweetheart in 1835. He did later that same year receive his license to practice law, but politics was in his blood now. From 1834 to 1858, he had won only one election but lost eight elections in the same time period. Finally, he persevered and was elected our 16th President of the United States in 1860. Abraham Lincoln resided as President during the darkest times of American history, abolishing slavery and presiding over the country’s only civil war. It was his mettle that kept overcoming extraordinary obstacles. Despite all of his heartache and failures, he is known as our greatest President which ultimately cost him his life by assassination in 1865 at the age of 56.

To be made of mettle means a tough individual that has overcame insurmountable odds and failures to achieve the success that they always were in pursuit. There is nothing fun about proving your mettle, but it is the only way to achieve our dreams and our passions is to be made of mettle and overcoming adversity and failure. Are you made of mettle?

“Trust Me, I never Lose; I either win or learn!”—-Unknown

Image by Gualberto 107 at www.freedigitalphotos.net

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Tim Wilhoit is owner/principal of Your Friend 4 Life Insurance Agency in Nashville, TN. He is a family man, father of 3, grandfather of 1, entrepreneur, insurance agent, life insurance broker, salesman, sales trainer, recruiter, public speaker, blogger, author and team leader with over 28 years of experience in sales and marketing in the insurance and beverage industries.

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