There are three stages of development of the metal. The same is true of a person: childhood, youth and old age.
I will mention a hadith which speaks about the philosophy of how a person should develop his personality. The hadith is: Copt Arabic text (Sahih Muslim 2638)
"A human being is like metal, just as silver of gold.
Those among you who were best in the Days of Ignorance are best in Islam, if they develop understanding." This is a very important hadith. We must try to understand it. What is metal? Iron is a metal. In nature, metal comes in the form of ore. We only find ore in nature. Then this ore is processed. After processing, it becomes steel. With more industrial work, steel turns into machine. First ore, then steel and finally machine. The same is true of a human being.
A person is born as a child. Then he develops maturity and reaches the age of youth. He later turns old and enters the last stage of his life. These three phases are present in human life. There are three stages of development of the metal. The same is true of a person: childhood, youth and old age. I will re-phrase it as: born personality, developed personality and realized personality. Human life goes through these three phases of development.