A Lesson From The Vikings: Do Hard Things
The Vikings were fierce pirates and warriors who terrorized Europe from the late 700’s to about A.D. 1100. Brutal and fearsome they looted and burned parts of England, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Russia, and Spain. Other Europeans were so frightened of the Vikings that a special prayer for protection was offered in the churches: “God, deliver us from the fury of the Northmen.”
Most historians attribute the Vikings devastating effectiveness to their warships, which were swift and light and could be easily dragged ashore. This allowed them to strike suddenly and then quickly retreat to the safety of the sea. However, my wise father has identified another contributing factor—one that holds incredible significance for all of us: The Vikings rowed themselves to battle.
Unlike the Romans, who used galley slaves to row their great warships, the Vikings took full responsibility for this strenuous activity. This tells us two things: 1) the Vikings didn’t feel that rowing was beneath them—they pursued competence in every area pertaining to their success, and 2) they were seriously ripped. No wonder the people of Europe were afraid of these guys—their muscles were moving twenty-ton boats through the water!
Here’s The Rebelution’s challenge: Do hard things. Learn a lesson from the Vikings. Do hard things and you will carry the battle every time. If you are willing to take on responsibilities that others delegate or neglect you will gain the benefits of that exertion.
Too often we delegate the responsibility for our education, our character, our future, etc. to others who hold far less of a stake in how things turn out. And more often than not a failure to perform in the areas of character and competence are due to a lack of past exertion.
Look around you. Many American young people are doing little more than “making it”—and this in a culture of unbelievably low standards. Few shoulder the burden of doing more than is required—yet that was the key to the Viking’s success!
In subsequent posts we will examine how we can “do hard things” by educating ourselves, tackling and maintaining normal responsibilities, and attempting the “impossible.” For now, I want you to ask yourselves the following questions:
- Am I choosing to Do Hard Things in my personal life? In my education? In the goals I set?
- Am I exceeding expectations or just getting by?
- Am I robbing myself of greater achievements because I’m unwilling to take on certain responsibilities?
October 5th, 2005 at 12:14 am
Fantastic post!! *Linking to it at my blog*
October 5th, 2005 at 3:02 am
Very good. Brilliant observation!
;)
Marshall
October 5th, 2005 at 3:09 am
Ditto….
*works harder*
October 5th, 2005 at 3:20 am
Excellent post Brett! Cool picture of the Viking too. In these next couple of posts are you going to give us some ideas of how to challenge ourselves? I am realated to the Vikings, so hopefully I can carry on that tradition =)
Thanks!
October 5th, 2005 at 3:56 am
Lauren: Yes! This is the first post of our new series “World Wide Webelution.” In this post I merely intended to lay down the principle (i.e. Do Hard Things). In the next few posts we’re going to specifically address different areas (education, career, etc.).
Also, if anyone has a particular area they would be interested in having us address we would be willing to consider it. God bless! Thanks for reading.
October 5th, 2005 at 5:17 am
Excellent!
October 5th, 2005 at 5:56 am
You know, its too bad you two don’t have a podcast! Talk about getting your stuff OUT!
October 5th, 2005 at 12:47 pm
Hey, we could always interview you on our (Blogging Boy Scout, Smarthomeschool, and Mission 3:16) podcast/radio show coming up on blogging.
Very good post…
October 5th, 2005 at 4:36 pm
John: Hey! Thanks for the encouragement. Alex and I are planning on starting a podcast sometime soon. We’ll let all our readers know when it happens.
Tim: That would be great. Let us know what would be involved in that. If we have the time we’d love to do an interview. Also, if we do start a podcast ourselves we’d love to pick your brain about that sometime. God bless!
November 12th, 2005 at 2:09 am
Wow! We just had a youth group retreat, and it was all about leadership. One of our mottos was “Do What’s Hard” was a great inspriration for us. Thanks for the insight! It’s good encouragement for those struggling to live a passionate life for Jesus! God’s blessings in all you do. Also, I just recently discovered your website, and haven’t gotten a chance to look at everything. But if you haven’t talked about this issue, please consider writing about homosexuality. I know so many Christains who struggle with this sin and so many who don’t know how to react to it. Just a thought. Thanks!
November 27th, 2005 at 10:15 pm
Yes. This world is always giving messages, such as, “Take it easy on yourself” and “relax”. Thanks for the reminder that the Christian life is not always easy.
December 9th, 2005 at 1:41 am
This is wicked. Well done guys.
September 5th, 2006 at 4:49 pm
What a great object lesson. I’ve found that doing the things I fear the most can be hard, yes, but when they are rooted in God and steeped in conviction, they are the most rewarding and honourable things that I can do.
October 3rd, 2006 at 8:38 pm
[…] So, I found this blog, The Rebelution, and I’m almost positive it’s for young teenage boys, but still. Parts of it are so cool, even for a female college junior like myself. Take this post for example- A Lesson From The Vikings: Do Hard Things. Me encanta! […]
October 15th, 2006 at 8:16 pm
Way cool you guys. Keep it up!
1st Timothy 6:12
“Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you are called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.”
October 17th, 2006 at 11:09 am
yo ryan ere my bro is doin a viking day at school and he needs help if u hav got anything that could help us contact me on a.f.carebest@hptmail.co.uk thanks
November 3rd, 2006 at 8:59 pm
Thank you for reminding me (us) that God created us for His glory and for excellence.
Too often, I forget that. I think that if I read my bible, go to church, share the gospel a little, be kind, be sober, enjoy His presence, then I’m doing great. What an insult to His glorious calling.
Thank you for reminding me to ask God for dreams, and to be bold enough to do the hard things He has called us to do.
November 21st, 2006 at 11:19 am
[…] The term “Do Hard Things” is the “trademark” of Alex and Brett Harris’ blog, The Rebelution, which very succinctly puts the principle of this whole post. Keep up the good work, guys! […]
November 22nd, 2006 at 9:16 pm
Yeah, the Vikings were tough all right. They owe it all to rowing their own boats, plundering, and . . . . . Lutefisk!
December 13th, 2006 at 5:38 pm
I’m assuming you don’t condone what the vikings went around doing…?!
December 17th, 2006 at 6:03 am
[…] We’re going to pepper into our PivotLIFE blogs a series on manhood that will begin with some articles from the guys over at The Rebelution blog. For starters, a quick history review of some guys you would not want to meet in a dark alley: the Vikings. […]
December 20th, 2006 at 5:12 pm
Excellent! As a almost thirteen year old what type of hard work should I be doing?
December 26th, 2006 at 9:26 am
Excellent perspective on our Walk in Faith. Christ walked alone, and even when the 70disciples that followed Him turned away from Him, He looked at His own and said “do you want to walk away ALSO” and they replied ” who should we turn to, You have the….” i make you look at Christ as Someone, Who was carrying someking of reponsibility, which He was willing ot complete even if everybody turned away from Him. And ofcourse being acquited with Christ, knowing that He was carrying out His Fathers Will, and DETERMINED to carry it to the CROSS, no matter if those that was with Him would turn Him down, in a way a singular Attitude, but most important contributor to Christs overwhelming strong attitude was, ” He was WILLINGLY, carying NOT His will, but a Desire with Passion, someone elses, and in Christs case, His Fathers Will :0)” thats where His Strength came from. thank you for your time
January 3rd, 2007 at 8:14 pm
Thanks for writing this. Its the cold hard truth I needed to hear (again).
To God be the Glory,
~CV~
January 29th, 2007 at 9:24 am
[…] Learn a Lesson from the Vikings! Someone once said that 90% of the work is just showing up. The hard things in life are often done not because we want to, but simply because we were willing to! Check out this great link to learn a lesson from the Vikings! […]
February 7th, 2007 at 9:29 pm
Except that the Greeks didn’t use galley slaves.
February 7th, 2007 at 9:49 pm
Thanks for the catch, Athyra!
February 20th, 2007 at 6:12 pm
Thank you so much for this one. It’s a shout out for me. I’m an A student. Lately I’ve been letting go, letting my grades slip, not caring anymore if I pass or fail. I know I shouldn’t be discouraged by cicumstances. Thank you. I’ll pick up my oar and row to the battle once more.
March 4th, 2007 at 3:00 am
[…] Their motto is Do Hard Things. In a culture that encourages you to do what you want and have fun, this is an explosive idea. “And when you have a community of young people mutually committed to doing hard things in their teen years for the glory of God, that’s an incredibly powerful thing.” […]
April 5th, 2007 at 12:27 pm
Yes it is true the Vikings were both hard men and feared. They were great warriors and most likely ripped as well, do to their physical life style. However I would caution any student of history to not down play the Romans just because they used slaves to row their war galleys to war does not mean that they were any less dangerous than the Vikings. The Romans were not a seafaring people, although they did have some memorable sea battles. The Romans were mostly land based warriors and although they had mounted knights, the legions were predominately foot soldiers that literally marched acrossed vast distances of Europe, parts of near Asia, North Africa and most of the Middle East. Romans soldiers walked great distances to battle and were still in shape to fight once they arrived. Review Caesar’s campaigns in Gaul. Five long years of foot marching and fighting, crushing every Gaul and Germanic tribe they came across, until all of Gaul was conquered. The Romans were quite simply down right mean and extremely ruthless. They were able to do this because they were extremely formidable and in excellent physical condition. Just look at some of the ancient Roman releifs that still exist today, like Trajans Column as well as others, they depict Romans in battle with physiques like wrestlers and professional athletes of today, much like the picture of the Viking you have used on your web site. Romans, like the Vikings were genuine badasses and meaner than a pitbull with rabies. The Romans also left a legacy that lasted 1,000 years, the Vikings didn’t quite make it that far, although I still love them and rank the Vikings at the top of the badass list, with the Romans.
April 26th, 2007 at 1:24 pm
You forgot to mention one little thing…
The Vikings believed that any victim they made would be their slave in Valhalla (viking warrior heaven). A wounded Viking was the most terrifying thing in the world, since they tried to take as many with them as they could instead of cower and flee, like the rest of the world did.
Nice message though.
June 9th, 2007 at 11:51 pm
From my youth, I was taught to just pass by… I decided that writing is my own chance to fight back. For me that was in the impossible (long story). Now, I will have to learn how to use this ability, and how to manage many others that may pass my way.
July 3rd, 2007 at 3:03 pm
[…] The battle cry of The Rebelution is just three words, but it’s an explosive concept: Do Hard Things. That’s it. And “do hard things” is a mentality. It’s a mentality that flies right in the face of our culture’s low expectations. The world says, “You’re young, have fun!” It tells us to “obey your thirst” and “just do it.” Or it tells us, “You’re great! You don’t need to exert yourself.” But those kinds of mindsets sabotage biblical character and competence. […]
July 10th, 2007 at 11:21 am
This article really hit my heart strings.The Lord has really been putting doing hard things on my heart.It really encouraged me,thank you.May God bless you and keep you and make His face shine upon you.
July 13th, 2007 at 9:54 am
[…] So, in a nod to The Rebelution: Play Hard Games! As men, we need to get hurt. We need to push through the pain. We need to be encouraged to have the intestinal fortitude necessary to be manly men. […]
July 31st, 2007 at 11:19 am
Very Good.
September 18th, 2007 at 3:53 pm
[…] Last Saturday was the Rebelution conference in Indianapolis. I cannot even begin to convey in this blog post how incredibly blessed, inspired, encouraged, and strengthened I am. Definitely one of the highlights of my year. When our church has conferences, I’m always blessed and challenged. It was like that, although even more so for me, because the message was so what I needed to hear. Alex and Brett Harris (the founders of the Rebelution), along with their dad, spoke about rising up and doing hard things for the glory of God. Alex talked about the myth of adolescence. He talked abut the shackles our society puts on teenagers today, and the importace of stepping out and breaking those shackes. Brett talked about the necessity of doing hard things, and how we can do hard things, while their dad talked about character and competence. I’m telling you, it was absolutely incredible. The message was right on; it just hit me like a ton of bricks. Like I said before, I can’t even begin to convey to you all that I learned. […]
September 18th, 2007 at 4:17 pm
[…] Last Saturday was the Rebelution conference in Indianapolis. I cannot even begin to convey in this blog post how incredibly blessed, inspired, encouraged, and strengthened I am. This conference was one of the highlights of my year. Alex and Brett Harris (the founders of the Rebelution), along with their dad, spoke about rising up and doing hard things for the glory of God. Alex talked about the myth of adolescence. He talked abut the shackles our society puts on teenagers today, and the importace of stepping out and breaking those shackes. Brett talked about the necessity of doing hard things, and how we can do hard things. Their dad talked about character and competence. I’m telling you, it was absolutely incredible. The message was right on; it just hit me like a ton of bricks. Like I said before, I can’t even begin to convey to you all that I learned. […]
September 23rd, 2007 at 6:44 pm
Wow, this is truly challenging and convicting. So many times I have justified different things such as bad grades or things that didn’t get done by blaming it on circumstances or other people. But a lot of times I need to just man up and take responsibility for my own education, my own jobs, even if other contributed to the failure. Because ultimately I’m responsible for myself, not others.
October 25th, 2007 at 6:31 pm
[…] deep thoughts of man drawn out « Biblical Prayer Read the Bible whole book by whole book October 25th, 2007 In Christology II class yesterday, I realized something: I am a BiblicalIsogesist and not a Biblical Exegesist most of the time. Meaning: I am so prone to focus in on a twig (a single phrase or verse) and assume my personal interpretation of it, rather than steeping back and seeing the dense forest (the context and storyline and purpose of the book) and letting that determine my interpretation. Stephen Venable, the class instructor, is emphasizing again and again, “Don’t bring your preconceived ideas and mindsets to the bible text and try to fit it in, but let the word wreck havoc in your mind and let it define you.” (my paraphrase) Part of the problem why we misinterpret the bible so much is because we read it wrong. We read a chapter or verse here and there and we may really like what we read, but the fundamental problem lies right here: We aren’t reading the whole book (like Genesis or 1 Peter…etc.) as it was meant to be read. It was meant to be read all the way through in one sitting. Yes, they may be long, but I ask you this question: When is the last time you’ve done a hard thing? Our generation (I may be speaking to mostly teenagers here) and this includes me, has embraced a lifestyle of lethargy and ease, instead of stepping out of our shells and actually doing hard things. We love the unchallenging and undemanding lifestyle, when in fact we were created to embrace the challenge and climb the mountain. I would say “Christology II” is a mountain for me. But will I “check out” and try to make it as easy as I can make it? or will I jump in wholeheartedly, in prayer and dependence on God, and in the full capacity of my brain power and seek out the knowledge of Christ in this class? I wasn’t made live forever on baby’s milk and Gerber’s food. I was made to grow up into Christ, and chew and devour His word. Sorry for the bunny trail. Check out this series. […]
November 6th, 2007 at 2:00 pm
I like your site and the things that you are all about. I wish I had thought of it when I was your age, but I did not know Christ then. My only caution would be to clearly communicate that we don’t do hard things for us, but rather, we do the right things (those communicated by God in the Bible), even when it is hard to do. There are lots of things that we can do that “look” right to others, but listening to the Spirit and submitting totally to Him, means we will do hard things. God’s calling to action is always hard, but always rewarding. Keep up the great work and keep rebelutionizing the world for Christ!
November 27th, 2007 at 7:39 pm
I find your fathers observation very brilliant and believe in doing hard things (even though more often then not i find myself slacking:(). i can relate this to my life through wrestling because it is very easy to tell who is slacking and doesn’t really care because they will just fall flat there back as soon as you shoot in on them where as the ones who try and do things without being told will put up a very strong and painstaking fight
November 28th, 2007 at 9:12 am
Excellent — it meshes nicely with a quote I read the other day about the failure of modern men to “puncture the smelly orthodoxies of our age”:
“The first duty of the modern intellectual, wrote George Orwell, is to
state the obvious, to puncture ‘the smelly little orthodoxies . . .
now contending for our souls..’ Orwell meant by these the totalitarian
doctrines that mesmerized the intellectuals of his time and that
prevented them from accepting the most obvious and evident truths
about their own and other societies . . . If humankind, as T.S. Eliot
put it, cannot bear very much reality, it seems that it can bear any
amount of unreality . . . The complacent disregard by [literary
society] of the social catastrophe wrought in the [lower reaches of
society] appalls me almost as much as the catastrophe itself. Never
has so much indifference masqueraded as so much compassion; never has
there been such willful blindness” (Theodore Dalrymple, Life at the
Bottom, pp. 244-245).
January 7th, 2008 at 12:17 pm
You guys are truly a role model! You have started a fire for Christ that WILL NOT go out! God bless you in all that you do for Christ’s sake!
January 15th, 2008 at 8:48 pm
The Viking expansion is commonly thought to be a result of the population had outgrown agricultural potential of their Scandinavian homeland. For a coastal population with superior naval technologies, it made sense to expand overseas in the face of a youth bulge effect (too many young people).
Maybe the lesson here is that young people acting en masse can really be quite destructive…
February 4th, 2008 at 12:16 am
what is sweet is the story of how the Vikings became converted…
because if they hadn’t anyone of Scandinvain decent could very well still be ferocious warriors killing, raping, pillaging, offering human sacrifices all done in the name of our gods.
Personally, I find the Ultimate Creator of the World to be incomparably and altogether lovely, when set against a god like Thor who demands violence to be appeased.
“Do Hard Things” (in the name of Christ, for the Redemption of Humanity)
April 5th, 2008 at 3:53 pm
Great post, I wrote a report a few years back on how the Vikings helped spread Christianity.
April 7th, 2008 at 12:02 pm
That was an great illustration. The one message God has been impressing on me lately is to “do hard things” (well, the slogan came from y’all’s blog
I do not want to back down from anything He has planned for me just because it seems too hard, uncomfortable, or inconvenient. Yes, sometimes even painful…
Hebrews 12:1 - 3 is amazing… I’ll post it because I’ve really been inspired by it lately:
“Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary and lose heart.”
April 11th, 2008 at 10:44 am
Brilliant post! You’re right, too many people are doing little more than “making it.”
April 15th, 2008 at 4:56 pm
your message is very inspiring but im not sure what hard things i should be doing besides keeping up with school, chores, etc….?
April 30th, 2008 at 3:31 pm
Very encouraging post! Being related to vikings I am elated about the afct that you choose ot learn a lesson from them
May 7th, 2008 at 1:15 pm
I highly agree with what you are saying. It is in line with the the title and theme of Spike Lee’s famous film: Do the Right Thing. Doing Hard Things is definitely what teenagers today are encouraged not to do. In fact, they are generally encouraged to do whatever is easiest, which is usually what our culture is also doing. But, I also want to caution you against using violence as an example for doing “hard” things. However, violence, though hard at times because of how wrenching it is to our pysche, is not generally what is the most difficult. It is good and right to do what is difficult. A famous poet named Rainer Maria Rilke affirms this in his Letters to a Young Poet. But are we to look to the violent, dangerous culture of the Vikings for guidance?! That is what we already are!
Rather, I suggest we look to a peaceful culture who does hard things, such as Ghandi and his friends, who more closely resemble the actions of Christ. By doing what is hard, while at the same time, laying our lives out for others to persecute and also embrace, we are then placing ourselves in the footsteps of Christ, instead of the footsteps of American culture. I implore you to take this into consideration and write what you think about it.
And as a response to lauren, I think in high school, or for teenagers anyway, other than school and chores, I would begin the journey of learning to meet many types of people and to embrace them. Your parents will probably not necessarily be teaching you this yet. Chances are, from your possibly American upbringing, you have been taught to be tolerant, but not all embracing. From college, I have learned that there is a lot of unlearning we must go through. Because of this, I suggest learning about who it was Jesus really reached out to and who these people are analogous to now. Because, these analogies are important if we are to be a loving church.
peace,
ariel
May 9th, 2008 at 9:53 am
very interesting input on challenging ourselves! I didn’t know that’s why vikings were so successful…
Also, I thought you said they were successful because their ships were ‘light’ but then you said they were 20 tons? I don’t know if that is light for a warship or not but it’s just a question…
May 17th, 2008 at 10:00 am
soo awsome I wish I could build up that much body strength
May 20th, 2008 at 2:08 pm
Read your book and loved it. At 70 I still challenge myself, Habitat for Humanity, Living Waters and Katrina rebuild, teaching school and Enviorthon Advisor. I truly believe the youth lof our country are the answer. Keep up your challenge to the youth.
May 21st, 2008 at 9:38 pm
Want to go marauding like Pagan Barbarians? Learn from the Mongols!
Once ragtag thieves in the dry mountains of Ural, in 100 years they conquered most of Asia and the Middle East, Russia and parts of Poland, Hungary and Germany. They fought the Egyptians in Palestine and almost pushed into Austria, defeating every army in their path.
They were 100% cavalry 100% archers, the first modern mobile army operating under egalitarianism not chivalry. They learned to ride and shoot as soon as they could walk. They used information warfare to terrorize the enemy even before the first arrows flew.
If only American Christians would fight the good fight like the Golden Horde, and lay our wicked little hearts awaste and aflame for Christ! Til the the Gorious Day of our our Holy Lord, Huzzah!
May 24th, 2008 at 12:55 pm
Just heard you guys on NPR. You guys totally rock!! Am reading “The World is Flat” as well.. And coming from India, I do realize that absolute importance of your campaign. Keep challenging and keep pegging!!
-Manu
June 7th, 2008 at 7:20 pm
We took our son to your conference in the Portland area. The Viking story was one of my favorites. I wrote about you in my blog this week http://essentialu.typepad.com/my_weblog/2008/06/rebel-against-l.html
June 27th, 2008 at 6:25 am
Wow! I love Rebelution soooo much! This is just one of so many Amazing blogs! Im going to the Conferance in the Dallas Area and im so excited!
July 15th, 2008 at 12:51 pm
Hey I like that post. It’s cool. I love story’s about vikings!