Become a Roman

Posted on December 31, 2008 
Filed Under Inspirational Stories | 2 Comments

What disgusted the ancient Romans about barbarians was their lack of discipline. Oxford Professor Peter Heather writes, “As far as a Roman was concerned, you could easily tell a barbarian by how he reacted to fortune. Give him one little stroke of luck, and he would think he had conquered the world. But, equally, the slightest setback would find him in deepest despair” This is exactly why thousands of miles from home, several hundred Romans could slaughter several thousand barbarians.

To survive the ups and downs of life you have to become a Roman. Some of the most talented people I know typically self-destruct every couple years. When things are not brand new or fun anymore many people seem to derail themselves. In some cases, like clockwork. Perhaps the closer some get to achieving goals, the less glamorous reality seems. Something happens! Some type of major setback. A setback that they never fully recover from. Then they are off doing something new.

Does this sound familiar? Do you see this pattern in business or your personal life? Are you having a hard time transitioning from a barbarian to a Roman?

Why do we self sabotage ourselves? Is it fear of failure or success?

I’d like to understand this human dynamic better.

Please let me know why you think so many people never make that transition from barbarian to Roman mentality.

I’ll leave you with quote from a great Roman that may help explain it.

“Our life is what our thoughts make it.” - Marcus Aurelius

Make these words of wisdom a theme for 2009.

Happy New Year!

Ancient Roman Wisdom

Posted on November 1, 2008 
Filed Under Personal Growth | 2 Comments

Six Mistakes of Man

Outlined by the Roman Statesman Cicero

(1) The delusion that personal gain is made by crushing others.
(2) The tendency to worry about things that cannot be changed or corrected.
(3) Insisting that a thing is impossible because we cannot accomplish it.
(4) Refusing to set aside trivial preferences.
(5) Attempting to compel others to believe and live as we do.
(6) Neglecting the development of mind and soul. Not developing the habit of reading and study.

Obstacles - How do you react to them?

Posted on October 22, 2008 
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“Obstacles” in our path are always present! We ALL have obstacles to overcome. So today I pose the question - How do you react to obstacles in your life? The answer to this question will most likely tell how much success you have enjoyed and why. If you avoid them you probably are easily detoured. If you view obstacles as opportunities you will ultimately see the fruits of your labor.

In ancient times, a king had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king’s wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the king for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the big stone out of the way. Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. On approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. As the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the king indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The peasant learned what many others never understand. Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve one’s condition.

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