Why Hard Things Matter
By Shazad
“Just as nature takes every obstacle, every impediment, and works around it—turns it to its purposes, incorporates it into itself—so, too, a rational being can turn each setback into raw material and use it to achieve its goal.”
Marcus Aurelius
I recently visited Hoover Dam near Las Vegas in Nevada, USA. It was an intensely hot sunny afternoon, around 40°C, and I was walking along one of the most iconic engineering projects in American history. The Hoover Dam was built in just 5 years during the 1930s. Construction involved many thousands of lives in this grand effort. At least 100 workers perished in this great effort. Why does this project matter, and what lessons can we learn from it today?
For as long as humans have been alive, they have striven to do challenging things. Sometimes just for sport or military gain, and other times for the sake of the community through large projects that will improve human life. The Hoover Dam definitely qualifies as the latter for the benefits it provides in flood control, freshwater supply, and hydroelectric power.
The construction, which started in 1930, resulted in a structure that stands 726 feet tall, which makes it taller than a 60-story building. The dam is 660 feet thick at its base. which makes it as wide as two football fields laid end to end. The dam was constructed ahead of schedule despite many challenges of its time, including the Great Depression across America during the 1930s.
“No man is more unhappy than he who never faces adversity. For he is not permitted to prove himself.” Seneca
The grand scale, incredible resources, and the human toll of this project, along with the beauty of the surrounding scenery, continue to impress visitors from all over the world. They have come to witness what is possible. Beyond the technical sophistication lies something deeper to recognize. When humans work together on something of great difficulty, they achieve their goal and leave a lasting reminder for future generations who reflect.
We must all choose to do our own hard things in life that benefit our community. If we can’t lead projects like this, we must join forces with others engaged in something big, difficult, and impactful for the human race. Only by doing so will we find true satisfaction in life while making a difference in the world for decades to come.
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