The three headed dragon.

7 min read

There is an enemy.

No horns, no tail, no pitchfork. That would be too obvious.

Instead, he comes disguised as comfort, indulgence, and the promise of an easy life. He is subtle, whispering that you deserve rest before the work is done, that pleasure is more important than discipline, that success should come without struggle.

Sometimes he looks like an endless cycle of distractions, scrolling, drinking, wasting time.

Sometimes he looks like validation-seeking, the need to prove yourself to others at the cost of your own integrity.

And sometimes, he looks like power without purpose, pursuing wealth, influence, or status with no greater mission than self-gain.

This enemy is nothing new. The ancients understood him well.

The Three-Headed Dragon Across Time

In mythology and scripture, the three-headed beast appears again and again as the ultimate adversary, one that tests a man’s resolve, his self-mastery, and his ability to lead himself before he leads others.

• In Greek mythology, the three-headed guardian Cerberus stood at the gates of the underworld. He was not the threat itself, but the barrier keeping souls trapped in their own darkness. The wrong choices do not just harm you—they imprison you.

• In Slavic folklore, the Zmey Gorynych, a three-headed dragon, terrorized entire nations. When one head was cut off, two more grew in its place, symbolizing how problems ignored or fought without wisdom only multiply.

• In the Book of Revelation, the dragon is a beast of destruction, a deceiver, offering worldly power in exchange for submission. It represents the battle for a man’s soul—the pull between power and purpose.

Jesus Himself faced this beast in the desert (Matthew 4:1-11). After fasting for forty days, he was confronted with three core temptations:

1. Desire – The temptation to turn stones into bread, to satisfy hunger and seek comfort instead of enduring hardship.

2. Pride – The temptation to throw Himself from the temple, forcing God to intervene, proving His power to the world.

3. Power Without Virtue – The temptation to rule all the kingdoms of the world in exchange for worshiping evil.

These same temptations exist today.

• The craving for pleasure over discipline.

• The hunger for validation over quiet mastery.

• The pursuit of influence without integrity.

Every man faces them. The weak give in. The strong resist. The wise conquer.

The Art of War: Dividing Yourself is Losing Yourself

Sun Tzu, the ancient Chinese general and strategist, understood this principle long before modern warfare. He wrote:

Men fail when they attempt to fight too many battles at once.

They spread themselves thin, responding to every demand, chasing every opportunity, never focusing their energy on the one thing that would change everything.

A warrior who fights on multiple fronts is soon defeated on all of them.

This is why so many men feel lost.

• They try to quit vices without building virtues.

• They chase power before mastering discipline.

• They fight for external respect before earning internal honor.

This is how the three-headed dragon consumes them, pulling them in different directions, dividing their focus, exhausting their energy.

The Warrior’s Code: Without a Philosophy, You Are Already Lost

There is a reason every warrior class in history, Samurai, Spartans, Navy SEALs, and our elite U.S. military, has operated by a code, an ethos, a framework for decision-making and action.

• The Samurai lived by Bushido, the “Way of the Warrior,” emphasizing honor, duty, and mastery.

• The Spartans trained from childhood, conditioning their minds and bodies to endure hardship and fight without fear.

• The Navy SEALs follow an ethos, a personal commitment to discipline, teamwork, and service.

What is your code?

What philosophy guides you through life’s battles?

• Do you have a vision for who you are becoming?

• Have you defined your core values, the principles you refuse to compromise?

• Do you set key victories, the missions that move you toward mastery?

• Have you committed yourself to a vocation of service, something greater than yourself?

A man without direction is easy prey.

The three-headed dragon does not need to defeat him, he will defeat himself through distraction, hesitation, and compromise.

A man who rushes into battle without understanding himself is already at a disadvantage.

This is the man that runs into business, relationship or a new life mission.

His strikes are wild, his defenses weak, his purpose uncertain. The true war is not fought on the outside first, it begins within.

Carl Jung put it this way:

“Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate.”

Most men live in reaction.

They fight battles they never chose, chasing money without meaning, seeking validation instead of virtue, numbing discomfort instead of confronting it. They are at war, but with what? And for what?

To fight with purpose, you must first align yourself with purpose.

• What values will guide your decisions?

• What principles will anchor you when challenges arise?

• What mission is worth your sacrifice?

Because if you do not choose your battle, someone else will choose it for you.

So before you draw your sword, before you take your next step, ask yourself:

Is this the war I was meant to fight? Or am I being led into one I never chose?

A Tactical Approach: Fortify Your Troops Through Self-Discovery

A warrior does not rush into battle unprepared. Before engaging the external fight, strengthen your internal ranks, your mind, discipline, and guiding philosophy.

1. Define Your Core Values – The Code You Live By

Without values, you are directionless. Your core values shape your decisions and determine your response under pressure.

Ask yourself:

• What are my non-negotiable principles?

• What beliefs will anchor me in adversity?

Write them down. Live by them.

2. Establish Your Vision – The War You Are Fighting

Sun Tzu said, “Victorious warriors win first and then go to war.” Most men fight without knowing what they’re fighting for.

• What is your mission?

• What does victory look like for you?

Clarity prevents wasted battles. Know your fight before you draw your sword.

3. Take Action – Fight the Right Battle with Focused Effort

Knowing your values and vision is useless without action. A warrior does not hesitate—he moves with precision toward his objective. But effort scattered in all directions is effort wasted.

• Eliminate distractions—Stop fighting battles that don’t serve your mission.

• Prioritize ruthlessly—Identify the one fight that moves everything forward.

• Apply consistent effort—Small, disciplined actions win wars, not sporadic bursts of energy.

Victory is not about doing more, it’s about doing what matters most. Fortify your mind, define your mission, and strike with intent.

Values, Vision, Action — Victory.

You can win my friend, the dragon is not as powerful as you think.

To your success.

E

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