In the 6th century BC, in the Greek city-state of Croton, there lived a renowned wrestler named Milo, a six-time Olympic champion. Because wrestling is a sport where athletes must throw and pin their opponents with bare hands, physical strength and endurance play a decisive role in the outcome. According to legend, Milo possessed such remarkable strength that he could lift a bull weighing over a tonne. How did he train to reach such an astonishing level of power?
He began with a simple practice: carrying a young calf on his shoulders while walking. The calf was light enough for him to handle, so he made this a daily routine. As the calf gradually grew into a full-grown bull, Milo continued lifting it each day without fail. Over the course of four years, both the animal and Milo’s strength grew steadily. Because he had trained consistently from the beginning, he was able to lift the bull with ease even when it had reached its full size.
What if he had tried to lift the fully grown bull from the start? He might have become discouraged by failure and given up altogether. Like Milo’s training method, begin with small, achievable steps. If you remain consistent with what you can do now, you may one day find yourself doing something you once thought impossible.
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