Earn your scars in the front

The army of Alexander the Great threatened mutiny.

It was during his campaign in India. The young king and his men were exhausted.

All were worn out from years of hard travel and warfare. All missed their families. All wanted to home to Macedonia or their respective countries.

Once his army had assembled – ready to push their demands – Alexander stepped forward and stripped down naked.

“These scars on my body,” he declared, “were got for you, my brothers. Every wound, as you see, is in the front.

He went on “let that man stand forth from your ranks who has bled more than I, or endured more than I for your sake. Show him to me, and I will yield to your weariness and go home.

No one advanced.

Instead, they started to cheer.

Rather than go home, the men of Alexander the Great begged their king forgiveness and asked him to lead them forward.

Moral of the story: earn your scars from the front, and in the front.

Quote and story from “The Warrior Ethos” by Steven Pressfield & Shawn Coyne.