Dispatches From HQ

Some military maxims can help us pick our way through the combat zone of life

When faced with life's many personal and professional challenges, take the words of famous Generals to heart, "never give up, never give in." Fei Meng

“Each person’s life is a kind of battle,” the philosopher Epictetus wrote more than 2,000 years ago.

What was true then is true now. After all, what is life if not a series of challenges, even small ones? The baby has colic, Joe’s late for work, traffic on I-95 is backed up for miles, and it’s starting to snow. Oh, and the cat just peed on the new rug in the hallway.

So if life is a battlefield, as many have described it—and especially if we feel we’re losing the war—is it possible that history’s greatest military leaders might offer us some worthwhile advice? Let’s consider a few examples.

Hold the Line

“I propose to fight it out on this line if it takes all summer.”

So wrote Gen. Ulysses Grant as his army collided with Confederate forces in 1864 near Spotsylvania, Virginia. Unlike his predecessors, Grant had no intention of retreating from Gen. Robert Lee’s vaunted Army of Northern Virginia.

Next time your perseverance wilts in the face of adversity, repeat Grant’s famous line and see if it delivers some steel to your backbone; you may be surprised by the power of these words.

Move Forward

“The die is cast.”

So declared Julius Caesar before launching his troops across the Rubicon River and into battle for control of Rome. Indecision and debate were ended; the time had come for action.

Prudence is a virtue, but too much dithering leads to lost opportunities. Once you’ve decided on a course of action—“I’m going to march into that office and ask for a raise!”—stop the second-guessing and move forward.

Go On Daring

“L’audace, l’audace, toujours l’audace.”

This translates to audacity and daring—but not recklessness—can win battles.

The same holds true on the battlefields of life. That guy enamored with the bank teller who smiles when she sees him, needs to gather up his courage and ask her out. The woman who wants to quit her day job and launch a catering business needs a good dose of l’audace.

Be Fit to Fight

Napoleon Bonaparte said, “An army marches on its stomach.”

Battles throughout history were lost because of a lack of food alone.

Staying fit is vital, with a healthy diet, adequate sleep, and exercise to stay in fighting trim. Ignoring the demands of the body imperils the mind and the spirit.

Boost Spirits

“Morale is to all other factors as four is to one.”

All great commanders have known that the best-equipped army in the world is useless without esprit de corps.

How’s morale in your workplace or at home? If the folks around you display about as much spirit as a stone, then it’s time to take a hand and lift up some hearts. Bring some cookies to the office. Throw a party for no reason whatsoever. Compliment a fellow employee on a job well done. Give your loved ones a hug, listen to their troubles, and bring them gifts at unexpected times.

Never Give Up

In World War I’s First Battle of the Marne, Gen. Ferdinand Foch reported: “Hard pressed on my right. My center is yielding. Impossible to maneuver. Situation excellent. I am attacking.” Foch’s troops stopped the German advance in its tracks.

From these generals, we learn never to give up, never to despair, never to allow our struggles to break us. We may be defeated, but we must never allow ourselves to be conquered.

Let’s keep up the press and win the war.