Fighting makes the man?

[iomtalach]

When I'm teaching, I try to be a hot fire. People that throw themselves into that fire come out changed. People that just sorta hang out and smell the smoke...not so much.

Ideals certainly shape how a person comes out, but they don't make the change. Fighting hard can be a method of change, but it isn't the change itself. I think it's all in the decision to throw yourself in. Making that decision changes you. If the path is even remotely good, you will come out a better person.