Standalone Essays · Leadership

Stop Waiting for Permission to Reign

How the Legendary Queen Macha Mong Ruad Defines Boldness, Grit, and Calculated Ambition

There was an Irish Queen named Macha Mong Ruad (the Red-haired) who reigned about three hundred years BCE. Her father’s name was Aod, and he was one of a triumvirate — three kings who shared the rule. He and the other two kings had mutually agreed to take seven-year turns as the main leader.

Aod drowned, and when his seven-year turn came round again, his daughter Macha claimed the crown in his name. Ireland, famous for its female warriors, didn’t have a problem with having a queen. However, it was determined she would have to fight her father’s two partners to prove her worth.

Macha fought them both. She killed one in hand-to-hand combat. The other, she defeated but did not kill. Instead, she married him and made him her consort, effectively taking control of two-thirds of the tribes and assuring herself of a permanent seat on the throne. Now that’s a woman!

The Queen’s Challenge: Boldness vs. Hubris

As formidable as she was, Queen Macha was human like you and me. The power of her story is that it illustrates a simple truth: regardless of our human strengths and weaknesses, we all have potential that lies unclaimed.

If we live defeated lives, it’s not for lack of qualifications — it’s for lack of boldness and grit.

Macha didn’t just inherit her father’s place; she fought for it and strategized to secure it. This is the cue we must take: we need to go out there and claim our kingdoms for ourselves. Are there no more mountains for us to claim? Are there no longer any giants to slay?

We must, of course, distinguish between courage and conceit. We must not claim kingdoms that are clearly not ours. At 60 years old and 5’7”, I will never claim a title in MMA again. We must not allow hubris and arrogance to characterize us.

How to Claim Your Modern Kingdom

The difference between claiming your potential and succumbing to arrogance is the long process of self-discipline and progressive growth.

Macha’s ultimate success wasn’t just in the flash of the sword; it was in the calculated marriage — the pragmatic, long-term move that secured her future.

If we humble ourselves to the daily grind, victory in our chosen field will come in due time. Yet, we must advance boldly, willing to step into the inequalities and injustices of the world, pushing back the darkness.

Queen Macha’s life was not a story of easy inheritance; it was a story of calculated ambition. Her strategic marriage to her defeated enemy was not a lapse in strength — it was a move to assure herself of a permanent seat.

Your field may not have giants to slay, but it has obstacles. Your kingdom may be a new business, a difficult promotion, or simply a better, healthier version of yourself. Humble yourself to the long process of growth, then advance boldly. Don’t wait for permission to reign; go out there and claim your kingdom for yourself.