I just read a biography of Theodore Roosevelt entitled, "The Strenuous Life"...and it's changed MY life! I have to admit, up to this point I'd had only a passing understanding of who TR was...knew he was one of the heads squeezed in to Mount Rushmore, etc...but I never really knew much about him.
First of all I liked the fact that TR lived in the same "end of the century" time frame as we do, but of course his was 100 years ago at the end of the 19th century (he was born in 1858 and lived to 1919). And I found it somewhat soothing when reading about the "monumental" struggles of his day, to realize that the struggles we face in the world, though they seem so unique and extreme, are basically the same struggles folks faced 100 years ago...and probably 100 years before that...going back to the beginning of time. The generation of the moment always feels they're going through "once in a lifetime" events and the events of the day MUST BE more vital to all mankind than those that have come before it, and those that will happen in the future.
Anyway, on with my "life changing moments"...it seems that TR was a freak about trying to live a "strenuous life" and his belief that human society actually broke down when seeking comfort over pushing oneself to points of extreme, both physically and mentally. Though he had lots of health issues from early in life, he was constantly seeking ways to exert himself physically...whether in war with the rough riders...or on bear hunts out here in Colorado...or even in his years in the White House where he was known to challenge Senators and Foreign Dignitaries to wresting or boxing matches!! (Can you imagine W and Hugo Chavez just getting after it for 3 rounds)...
TR gave several speeches on this living the strenuous life, and I've read a few...they are really inspiring, especially when I make the translation to my life in sales and sales training. Check out one of the quotes from a speech President Roosevelt made on the subject: (a link to the whole thing is at the bottom of this post)
Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat...
We could translate this into our world sounding like:
Far better it is to dare mighty things, like committing to blow away every number we're given, by making more prospecting calls, by boldly asking for the order, all to win glorious triumphs...even though in doing so, we will face constant failure and potential conflict... than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy surpassing their goals nor suffer much rejection and pain...because they live in the gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat..
Here's another great quote:
I wish to preach, not the doctrine of ignoble ease, but the doctrine of the strenuous life, the life of toil and effort, of labor and strife; to preach that highest form of success which comes, not to the person who desires mere easy peace, but to the person who does not shrink from danger, from hardship, or from bitter toil, and who out of these wins the splendid ultimate triumph
One of the great secrets of sales (one most people never learn until very late in their career)...is that if you seek only peace and tranquility in sales through playing it safe, you'll end up with neither...the key to peace and tranquility is to boldly venture into the challenging, scary...aka strenuous...areas...THAT is how you find peace, joy and tranquility.
As I've said many times, I've yet to meet the salesperson who's burned out after 20 years from too much success and making too much money!
So as part of the Training Camp this year I'm going to thinking about TR and his attachment to risk, and adventure, and pushing myslef to the extreme as a way to find life! Please join me...
Bully!! Here's the link
http://www.theodore-roosevelt.com/trstrenlife.html
GB
