Once, a wise king grew troubled, seeing his people grow too comfortable, too reliant on life’s conveniences. To challenge their resilience, he placed a massive boulder in the center of the main road leading into the city. Then, hidden nearby, he waited to see how his people would respond.

At dawn, travelers arrived, busy with their day’s tasks. Seeing the boulder, they paused, unsure of what to do. A few grumbled, muttering, “Who would put such a thing here?” Some cursed the king, blaming him for the inconvenience. Others barely tried to push it, gave up quickly, and walked away. Days passed, and still, the boulder sat unmoved as the people’s frustration grew. Most found reasons to complain but did nothing to solve the problem.

Then, one morning, a lone peasant approached. Seeing the obstacle, he paused, thinking. He tried pushing it, harder than anyone had before, but the rock didn’t budge. Instead of turning away, he looked around for anything that might help. Walking into the woods nearby, he found a sturdy branch and returned. With a determined grip, he wedged it under the boulder and pushed down. Inch by inch, the rock moved until, finally, it rolled free of the path.

Beneath the boulder lay a small purse of gold coins and a note from the king: “The obstacle in the path becomes the path. Within every obstacle lies an opportunity to improve our condition.”

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We don’t place boulders in the path of your success, but life does this all the time. Imagine a life without challenges—without obstacles pushing us to dig deeper. That’s a place no one truly wants to be. The challenges we face, individually and as a team, are the very things that push us to learn and prove how resilient we can be when we choose to rise above them. What we have overcome together proves just what can be achieved by believing in ourselves and in each other.

As we go forward, remember that we’ll also encounter people who lack this confidence and resilience. They’ll complain, avoid challenges, and try to recruit others into their negativity. But these individuals don’t last—they’ll move on, adding another line to their resume. One day, they may look back and see what we’ve built and wish they had chosen strength over excuses. Don’t let their weakness affect you; allow nature to take its course. The true reward lies with those who face challenges head-on and choose to keep moving forward.

Every obstacle is an invitation to grow, to redefine what’s possible, and to strengthen our resolve. Like the peasant in the story, we are capable of much more than we realize. We only need to push forward, one challenge at a time, turning each boulder in the path into a stepping stone.

If I had listened to the naysayers who claimed our vision was impossible, we wouldn’t be here today. What if I had chosen to believe their doubts instead of believing in the strength of our unity? The biggest naysayers are often those closest to us, the ones who don’t want to see us struggle. Little do they know, the struggle is where growth lies. 

Every great achievement comes with voices—some well-intentioned, some fearful—saying it can’t be done, that the path is too hard or the goal too distant. But true resilience isn’t built on ease or the approval of others; it’s built on the unshakable belief in what we’re capable of together. The strength of our unity has carried us through every challenge, and it’s that same belief that will continue to transform obstacles into milestones on our journey forward.

Your training is a transformative process that will begin with struggle and, for many, it will end with either profound growth or come to the realization that you aren’t doing this for the same reasons the rest of the team is.  

For those who choose to struggle with intention, know that these moments are shaping you, and you’ll see the results when you look back and recognize just how much they helped you grow.

I’m rooting for you.  Yes, you!  

-Josh

“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”