Mohs Scale - #16
“The hardest thing you’ve ever done is the hardest thing you’ve ever done.” — Unknown
Let’s start with a quick refresher from Geology 101: The Mohs Scale measures the relative hardness of minerals—ranked from 1 (talc) to 10 (diamond). The higher you move up the scale, the more force it takes to scratch or break the mineral.
Unlike minerals, there’s no universal scale for the hardness of human experience. What’s “hard” for one person might feel simple to another.
Difficulty is not absolute, it’s perceived and it’s personal. We know this intuitively, but we always seem to forget.
Internal Hard Things
It’s not hard for me to wake up at 4:30 AM. It’s not hard for me to train daily. It’s not hard for me to make time for my family.
But it was, once.
These pillars of my life didn’t start out easy. They were developed through years of trial, reflection, and discipline. What feels normal now was once incredibly difficult with my chaotic schedule.
People sometimes look at my routine and wonder how I am able to stay on track. I’ve built my systems gradually, over time, through challenges that stretched me, set me back, and rebuilt me better.
What’s easy today, was once the hardest thing you’d ever done. That should never be lost on you.
External Hard Things
The other day, my 5-year-old son got a splinter in his foot from our wooden stairs – a first for him.
For me, it was a minor inconvenience. For him? A crisis.
He panicked when he saw the tweezers. I had to stay calm, slow down, and try to see it through his eyes.
For a child with limited experience, this was a big deal. Possibly one of the hardest things he’s ever had to endure.
And it hit me: his Mohs Scale is calibrated completely differently, but that doesn’t make it less real.
As we age, we accumulate experiences - scars, setbacks, strength, but others around us are still earning theirs. We can’t impose our definition of “hard” onto someone who hasn’t walked that path yet.
Growth Through Challenge
So what’s the takeaway?
First – empathy. Support the people around you—even when their battles seem small to you. Don’t say “That’s not a big deal.” For them, it might be the biggest thing they’ve ever faced.
Second – resilience is earned. You grow through what you go through. Every hard moment expands your capacity. Every setback forges grit. You’ve survived 100% of your hardest days – so far. Don’t stop now.
Tough moments aren’t just obstacles. They’re upgrades.
Final Thought
You can’t measure “hard” with a single scale, but you can choose what you do with it.
So, support those around you, honor your own progress, and keep growing into the person you’re meant to become.
Additional Resources & Reflections:
Book: Die with Zero by Bill Perkins – Buy Here
Podcast: The Knowledge Project – Episode #232: Reed Hastings – Listen here
Stoic Quote of the Month: “Difficulties show a person’s character. So when trouble comes, think of yourself as a wrestler whom God, like a trainer, has paired with a tough young buck. For what purpose? To turn you into Olympic-class material.” – Epictetus
Hard things don’t break you. They build you.