Fifteen years after his death, a look at the man behind America’s love-hate relationship with natural resource conservation.
Theodore Roosevelt was an American statesman and 26th President of the United States. He is most famous for his role in ending the Russo-Japanese War, negotiating peace with Spain after its defeat in the Spanish-American War, and leading the charge up San Juan Hill in Cuba during the Battle of San Juan Hill. Read more in detail here: theodore roosevelt quotes.
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 man who desires only easy peace, but to the man who does not shrink from danger, hardship, or bitter toil, and who wins the splendid ultimate triumph out of these. – Theodore Roosevelt
In our last essay, we covered how Theodore Roosevelt overcame his sickly nature and transformed himself into a muscular young man via resolve and hard effort. His commitment to live “the difficult life” became his life’s guiding concept.
During his 60 years of life, his hard work and passion enabled him to achieve the following:
1. Work in New York as a state senator, police commissioner, and governor.
2. Run a ranch in the Dakotas and work on it.
3. Assist the Secretary of the Navy as an Assistant Secretary of the Navy
4. Participate in the Spanish-American War as a Rough Rider.
5. Become President for two terms, then seek for a third term in an unprecedented move.
6. Be the first President to leave the nation during his tenure to watch the Panama Canal being built.
7. Compose 35 books
8. Read tens of thousands of books in many languages every day.
9. Go on an Amazonian jungle adventure.
10. Discover, traverse, and be named after a 625-mile-long Amazonian river that is entirely unexplored.
11. At the age of 59, volunteer to command a volunteer military battalion into WWI.
Roosevelt poured vigor into every element of his life, in addition to all of these concrete achievements. He almost ran from room to room, shaking everyone’s hands, slapping their backs, and beaming from ear to ear. He continued to exercise frequently even as he became more active in politics, taking up boxing, tennis, hiking, rowing, polo, and horseback riding. In the parks near DC, he led visiting leaders and dignitaries on lengthy climbs and up rock cliffs. He fought with sparring partners several times a week while governor of New York, a habit he maintained as President until a blow detached his left retina, leaving him blind in that eye. Following that, he studied jujutsu and resumed his winter tradition of skinny-dipping in the Potomac River.
When Roosevelt ran for a third term as president, one of the clearest demonstrations of his unwavering excitement occurred during his campaign. He stood at the rear of a train car in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, waving to the throng. He was shot in the chest and thrown back into the automobile. In TR’s lifetime, three presidents had been killed, and he had always prepared for such an event. He placed his fingers to his lips, and he knew the bullet hadn’t pierced his lung since no blood was flowing out of his mouth. The bullet stuck in his rib, delayed by a steel eyeglass case and a copy of a speech. Roosevelt insisted on going to the auditorium, where a crowd of 10,000 people had gathered to hear him speak. As he ascended the platform, he displayed his bleeding shirt to the crowd and said:
“I was merely shot, but a bull moose takes more than that to kill.”
TR then chatted for another 90 minutes before agreeing to be brought to the hospital.
Clearly, Theodore Roosevelt did not just recite clichés about living a difficult life; he embraced and lived the ideas he preached.
Why Do You Want To Live A Difficult Life?
You gain confidence as a result of your difficult existence.
A life of leisure is not a very satisfying life in the end, and it is, above all, a life that unfits people who pursue it for real labor in the world.
Taking on responsibilities and conquering obstacles are the most effective ways to boost your male confidence. Don’t waste your time on the XBox all day. Get out of the home and seek for a new experience. TR gained his confidence in this manner. He eagerly sought out and accepted difficult projects.
Begin living a tough life now and boost your confidence by tackling a difficult objective. Do something you’ve always wanted to do but haven’t gotten around to doing.
You become a better spouse and parent as a result of your difficult life.
To preserve himself and others who rely on him, the man must be content to perform a man’s task, to brave, suffer, and struggle.
Unfortunately, many men are avoiding their home obligations. You must be the greatest husband and parent you can be in this demanding life. Work to ensure that people who rely on you may live comfortably. Give your wife the emotional support she needs. Participate actively in your children’s life.
Your nation becomes stronger as a result of your difficult existence.
In the end, a healthy state can only survive if the men and women who make it up live clean, energetic, healthy lives; if the children are taught not to avoid obstacles but to conquer them; if the children are taught not to seek ease but to know how to extract success from toil and danger.
Americans have become more sedentary and illiterate. A well-informed and involved population is critical to the viability of a democratic republic like the United States. Most Americans, unfortunately, have no idea what’s going on in the globe, much alone in their own nation. Americans are less involved in their communities. By avoiding our civic responsibilities, we are simply weakening our nation.
Take up the responsibility of being an active citizen. Keep up with current happenings in the United States and across the globe. And don’t simply settle with watching the fluff news on Fox and CNN. Look into magazines such as The Economist or The Atlantic Monthly. They provide a much more in-depth look at what’s going on in the globe right now. Participate in your neighborhood as well. Attend town hall meetings whenever possible. Join a civic organization such as the Rotary Club or a young professionals club. Will it be difficult to find time to do these tasks? Yes, of course. But that’s what it’s all about when you’re living the hard life. Taking on and conquering obstacles.
No country can survive for long if its foundations are not built on material success, which comes from frugality, commercial vigor and entrepreneurship, and hard, unrelenting labor in the domains of industrial activity; yet no country has ever been genuinely great just on material prosperity.
Overcoming the fear of rejection and failure
You will surely face failure and criticism in your desire to live a challenging life. Don’t let this stop you from having a vibrant life. Failure and criticism are just a few of the challenges you’ll face as you strive to live a life of excellence. “The Man in the Arena,” a renowned part of TR’s speech, is what we’ll leave you with.
It is not the critic who matters; it is not the one who points out the weak man’s flaws or where the doer of deeds might have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust, sweat, and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who falls short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows the triumph of high achievement in the end, and who, at the worst
Theodore Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States. He led a major military and foreign policy during his tenure. He is known for many accomplishments, including being the first American to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Reference: theodore roosevelt accomplishments.
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