8 Lessons From Viking Warriors (Part 2 of 2)
The first four lessons from the Vikings have been discussed in Part 1. In this blog post, we are going to discover the four Viking lessons left.
The Viking warriors were famous for their brutal battles for raids. The fact was that they were not as savage as many movies have depicted them nowadays. According to many accounts, the Vikings would love to raid but they would not burn down the whole town or take on the mass killings. The valuables captured the Viking attention the most. But whatever it was, the Vikings did raid and for them, it was an honorable action.
5. Physical and Mental toughness at the same time
The physical toughness of the Vikings was undoubted. The hard climate made them tougher so that they could endure and flourish. Moreover, to become real warriors, the Vikings must train themselves to fit for the position and take physical examinations. That is to say, physical toughness of the Vikings was attested.
Viking warriors battling in TV series "Vikings"
Mental toughness still existed. They were strong and persistent whenever they did anything, especially in battles which they considered to be the highly respectable deed. They feared nothing. They knew that they succeeded but they still wanted more to better themselves, that was the mental toughness.
So in this day and age, this lesson should be carefully considered. The physical toughness will help us to get through any physical difficulties and to endure in the environment of pressure. The mental toughness will make sure that you always focus on the goals you set and regardless of any hindrance that might pop up in your way. There is a part inside of you telling you to hold onto and not to quit because your efforts will pay off eventually. And yes, that is mental toughness. Whoever can combine both physical and mental toughness in any path of the life will succeed.
6. Never multi-tasking
This lesson can be known as "to simplify". These days, it is becoming difficult to focus on one thing and truly simplify. But in the Viking time, one thing was literally one thing that one person could focus on. If they were farming, they were farming. If they were sailing, they were sailing, not tweeting or surfing social networking sites. If they were fighting, yeah, only the fool would think of anything other than the enemies desiring to claim their life.
In this daily life, there are too many things that can capture our mind in one moment. It means we find it hard to focus on only one thing. We even realize that we are multi-tasking but there is nothing we can do to change that habit. We try to focus on one thing but that attempt doesn't last for long. So here are some recommendations for you to claim back your concentration:
Turn off the wifi when you try to work, read a book, or just focus on something. Wifi is a wonderful invention, yes we agree. But too much depending on it will do you harm. Just work.
Focus on one thing only. Multi-tasking is the best way to take away your concentration neuron. So just complete your one task and move on to the other later.
Turn your phone off or on silent.
7. Follow your ambitions
Ambition is the thing that makes your life become more meaningful to yourself. As long as you have and follow your own ambitions, you will not feel lost and there is always a voice inside telling you what to do. For the ancient Vikings, their ambitions were to get a highly ranked status and fortune or even to become the king and to conquer lands.
Viking ships to discover lands
But in our times, ambitions are regarded as selfish and egocentric. But what if we are ambitious for something that can do good to the whole society? It's ambition that provides us with new land discoveries. It's ambition that offers us electricity and hi-tech breakthroughs.
So move forward, know what you really want, rise up and above your current status.
8. Our fate is sealed
The Vikings believed that the destiny of anyone had been already woven by the Norns and no one could ever alter it. And yes, we have no power to change or have control over how we die. So why have to worry much about it?
Take the risks in any aspects of life, namely your business, love, etc. We cannot take any benefit from fear. In other words, fear only hinders us from unlocking our great internal potentials.
Indeed, the norsemen or nordics’s real history still seems to remain unknown. But, these 8 lessons have fairly captured the essence of their culture, based on what is reflected in the Scandinavian countries, formed after “the vikings”.
One point, though, I think could be explored, is the rare quality of the nordic people to keep their word, as said in full meaning. It seems they always take word as one of the most important things of people’s character and personality.
After the christianization of nordic people, after 9 A.D., the resulting nations, where the ones that really kept their Christian faith, even over the most Christian countries, that became Catholics. Note that the only countries that still have the cross in their flags, are the Scandinavian ones, as so as the main religion.