You're a Diamond Under Construction
Photo by Bas van den Eijkhof
Polished diamonds come in many different sizes, shapes and colors. They are highly valued due to; the rarity of quality ones, their beauty and their durability. They sparkle with clarity, they reflect light brilliantly showing off their uniqueness. Having those qualities, who wouldn't want to possess a diamond?
It’s important, though, to know how diamonds are formed and why they're considered so valuable. Diamonds are made out of carbon dioxide and carbon deposits that exist about 100-150 miles below the Earth’s surface. Deep within the Earth it's extremely hot and the carbon is subjected to temperatures of up to 2,200 degrees Fahrenheit! Also, at that depth the earth above creates crushing forces which squeeze the carbon under intense pressure. The carbon experiences pressures of over 725,000 pounds per square inch. Think about that for a minute...it takes a special element to be able to withstand 2,200 degrees of heat and 725,000 pounds per square inch of pressure! It's the extremely high temperature and pressure that bonds the carbon’s atoms into the strong and unique structure of a polished diamond!
Consider yourself a diamond in the making! On this journey of life, it can feel like you’re buried deep, under daily challenges, accountability, responsibility, hardships, and struggles. Whether it’s the challenge of applying yourself academically, executing professionally or performing competitively it can feel like you're constantly behind the curve. The trials of building a business, supporting a family as a single parent, or the hardships of managing through physical or mental health issues, can make it feel like life has turned up the heat on you two thousand degrees!
Know that you're a diamond in the making even through the stresses of completing your degree program or professional certification, being the primary caregiver to a loved one or managing a budget that barely covers living expenses...and the bills are coming due! The weight of the load is heavy, and it feels like life cares nothing about piling on what seems to be thousands of pounds of pressure!
However, if you want to succeed badly enough, if you want to beat your personal best, if you want to put your family in a great place financially or if you want to get to a level of good health, you must stay resilient! Embrace the pressure by being future-focused. Put in the work that's required of you to reach your goals. Stay consistent. Stay busy. Set deadlines for goal attainment and push towards those dates. It's said that a goal without a deadline, or a threshold to surpass, is just a wish. Even in the face of extreme external pressures, doubling down and applying some self-induced pressure can achieve faster and more fruitful results! It's not someone pushing you, it's you pushing yourself everyday to be the best version of yourself! Embrace the Pressure with excitement even though at the moment the future may seem bleak.
Realize that it’s under this intense heat and pressure that diamonds are formed. Know that on the other side of pursuing your purpose with faith and persistence, is growth. You'll soon emerge transformed, polished and reflecting your light brightly. But for now, you're under construction. So, just embrace the pressure, you're a diamond in the making!
