Motivation: Friend on cover of local Forbes, general thoughts on success

A huge motivation boost i have received when saw this. This guy i was in school in one class with, and still is my close friend. Known is that he is successful and earns good, but such proof like this revitalizes the understanding of it.

Reading his, and many other super-successful people stories, i constantly stumble on one similar phase in their lives : the one were they struggled to survive, or had some similar problems. These problems forced them to evolve, forced their ideology to evolve, their mental state, and everything else. Forced to evolve beyond mediocre level. And tougher were the obstacles in their lives that they overcame, the further they have evolved. Far beyond that state of a average man. I didn't use the term "normal", because what is normal? Is it normal to grow old in poverty? That is average, but not normal. Poverty is when lack of money restricts you in any way.

And what makes us want to change? Not accepting the things how they are now. If you accept your condition, you will never change.

Life presented them with a challenge, and they had two choices: evolve and strive, or brake. The ones, that didn't brake, come out of this phase as different beings, with tempered willpower and a sharpened mind.

And it is so much different from just average self-development. Like reading certain books, attending seminars, thinking proactive and all that ARTIFICIAL stuff. There is no challenge in reading a book about self-development. You can come in your warm house, read it or not read it. No difference, almost. But when you are in front of a deadline - evolve or die - then you have no choice than to evolve, and ASAP. Exactly this difference makes the difference.

As a logic-driven mind, my questions: how can i create such a phase in my life? Is it even possible to artificially create such conditions? And would it be safe? And i think - yes, it is possible, and no, it wont be safe. Chasing a radical changes in your life you cant expect for them to happen smoothly, with minimal impact. But it is sure worth it.

For a rough example - just go to another country on the other side of Earth, with no belongings and start all over. Either you will die of starvation or something like that, or in some years you will return a completely different person than you were. Much more independent, much more tenacious, much more proactive. Then, just for laughs, compare yourself after this to yourself that stayed at home for all these years.