Iron to Gold

When I looked up the quote, it used copper — but the version I heard said iron, and that captured my imagination.

It perfectly illustrates the martial arts and self-defense training that’s the foundation of my coaching.

And it reflects what little I know of Taoist Alchemy.

🔷 Iron:

• Taoist Alchemy: The raw, dense, effortful state.
  Willpower. Discipline. Structure.
  The early stages of cultivation — where the practitioner sweats, grinds, and “does.”

• Martial Arts/Self-Defense:
  This is what people come looking for — strength, power, control.

🔶 Gold:

• Taoist Alchemy: The refined, luminous, effortless state.
  Force gives way to flow. Tension to stillness.
  The practitioner is, rather than does.

• Martial Arts/Self-Defense:
  This is what people actually develop — confidence, mindfulness, flow state.

🪨 → 🪙People come to martial arts/self-defense training seeking iron, and they cultivate gold.

(While traditional Taoist alchemy often uses lead-to-gold as its metaphor, I’ve adapted it here using iron to reflect the strength, effort, and willpower often associated with martial arts training.)

This is the meaning of my catchphrase:

“Self-defense is Life Enhancement.
The things we do to keep ourselves safer also make our lives better.”

What we learn as self-defense (iron) transforms into everyday benefits (gold)

🪙Boundaries → Pro-relational communication

🪙Situational Awareness → Applied mindfulness

🪙De-escalation → Leadership under pressure

In my coaching, the self-defense lens helps ADHD leaders and aspiring leaders put an end to the gaslighting and reclaim their strengths.

🪙 Boundaries as “must-haves for survival” → helps pro-relational communication feel natural and safe

🪙 Mindfulness as situational awareness games → makes the practice fun and engaging

🪙 Self-defense de-escalation skills → build real-time leadership under pressure

This is how we forge leadership from the inside out — not by overriding the nervous system, but by partnering with it.

✨How have you mined for iron and found gold?