According to ancestral samples that I provided to a reputable company, my people came from Scandinavia (mainly Norway, Sweden, and Denmark.) Having that knowledge naturally made we inquire into what lessons these ancient Vikings could provide today.

1. Do not fear death

We will all eventually die. Instead of fearing death, accepting death is the way for us to explore the world and gain more experience in life. If death is not feared, there is no limit to what you are going to achieve. We should also not fear unknown scenarios, failures, or judgments. This is like stepping out of our comfort zone. If we are not willing to step out of our comfort zone and take the challenge, we will never discover our potential and our purpose in life.

The Vikings accepted death in their battles and believed that in the afterlife, they would reside in the realm called Valhalla. They feared nothing and everything feared them. This was because of their attitude which was that of fearlessness. But, remember that the Vikings were willing to sacrifice their life wisely to serve a right purpose. That is to say, we welcome death, challenge, failure, and judgment as long as it is deserving. We do not waste our life and suffering on meaningless things because that is not the Viking spirit.

2. Do what others cannot do

Maybe this attitude was derived from the Viking culture. They wanted more. They wanted to try things that could not be done. Things that other tribes dared not to try, the Vikings tried and succeeded. The Vikings went on raiding assaults through their ships and discovered lands. Many tribes just followed the ancestral steps and stayed within their lands. They were afraid of moving from this village to the other, let alone moving to the other continent by ships. But the Vikings did. And more importantly, they succeeded.

Some of us today have done things that others cannot do. But, that is just the minority of us. We do set our goal and do want to achieve that goal. And yes, it is correct that the first step is the hardest one. We might fail and we quit. But the warrior spirit and culture did not allow the Viking to do so. They were ambitious and always wanted more out of life. They knew their lifespan was short and they would not waste such valuable time pondering. They just did it.

3. Build your strength

The Vikings lived and thrived in a very harsh climate. It was very difficult for them to grow crops and build colonies. But they still became the tough farmers, fishermen, and warriors in their times. The point was that they trained their body through their hard climate every day and they were not afraid to do so.

People who persist in physical labor or exercise will get a thick skin and can improve their stamina. This is good for health and can expand the lifespan. The key to becoming a hard man/woman is about the repetition. Never refuse to be with something tough. Because things you suffer today will bear fruits in the future. 

So, always take the hard path. It is not a comfortable idea to think about. Do what’s a little bit tougher because it will make you a little bit tougher day by day.

4. Physical and Mental toughness at the same time

The physical toughness of the Vikings was undoubted. The harsh climate made them tougher so that they could endure and flourish. Moreover, to become real warriors, the Vikings must train themselves to be fit for the position and take physical examinations. Physical toughness of the Vikings was attested. 

Mental toughness existed. They were strong and persistent whenever they did anything, especially in battles which they considered to be a highly respectable deed. They feared nothing. They knew that they succeeded, but they still wanted more knowledge and wisdom 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 regardless of any hindrance that might pop up in your way. There is a part inside of you telling you to hold on and not quit because your efforts will pay off eventually. That is mental toughness. Whoever can combine both physical and mental toughness in any path of the life will succeed.

5. 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 enemy’s desire 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. It is a quite a task to change that habit. Unless there is an emergency, successful people do one task at a time. 
Learning from these ancient people from the North can enrich our lives. These principles are not easy. But, they indeed work.