This holiday I have been reading Steven Pressfield’s “The
Warrior Ethos”. It has caused me to reflect on my own experiences with conflict and how we each deal with it differently. A majority of people in the world are quite passive in the
way they live out their lives. Most go along with the cultures, religions and
traditions they grew up in. Very few are
able to step out of their “roots”, learn to take risks or follow up on their
whims for adventure.
As a student of history, it has been obvious to me that the
“movers and shakers” of the world have generally been “warriors”. These are people who are willing to lead or
fight for change that they want…both for themselves personally and in order to
effectively change a world they find unsatisfactory. From the early Viking
explorers to Alexander the Great to American expansionism in the
“New World”, it takes a culture or attitude of being a warrior to move peoples
and cultures to change. To a large degree, the warrior ethos is what drives evolution
and “survival of the fittest”.
While military people and their codes of honor tend to drive
the warrior spirit in our cultures…I think most anyone who is successful or a
“self-made” person has called upon an innate spirit of warrior mentality to get
where they are. Life is a constant battle to impose self over the many
powers and influences who strive to minimize individualism. Change is the enemy of Statism and
institutions. It is individual minds, ambitions and
actions that initiate change, therefore the constant pressures of these
institutions to compel individuals to compromise and/or conform is
understandable.
Warriors tend to band with other warriors…or find themselves
in direct conflict with other warriors.
We see the manipulation of masses by “warriors” who want to enlist the
power of the weak to reach their own ambitions. There are very few
“benevolent” leaders or warriors though it might be a higher calling to be
desired. Yet, most of us warriors are quite self-absorbed on how we apply that
warrior spirit within us.
Wonder if you are a warrior…or not? I think there are a few
basic questions to ask yourself.
· Do you like to lead or prefer to follow?
· Are you independent or a “team” player? (Do you like individual or team sports?)
· Do you blame others… or yourself… for shortcomings or failures?
· Do you have personal pride in your accomplishments or do you tend to give others the credit?
· Do you live with more pride… or guilt?
· Do you have more questions or answers about your future goals and ambitions?
I think there are successful and unsuccessful warriors.
Successful warriors tend to have good causes that the masses will embrace and
follow. They always battle for a reason…not just spoiling for a fight. They choose their battles
carefully…aligning their emotions to their reasoning minds. Bravado itself may win a battle, but hardly
ever wins a war. A successful warrior
uses brain more than brawn…and understands his limits when it comes to
resources or preparedness for a fight.
He will wait until the odds are in his
favor.
Unsuccessful warriors tend to overestimate their own strength
or underestimate the opposition. They are controlled by emotions, bravado and a
certain amount of narcissism. They live battle to battle instead of having long
term strategies or objectives. They
focus on the “trees instead of the forests”. Often times there is no purpose to
their conflict beyond the drive to “win at all cost”. It is ego before reason. These negative principles are the foundation
of all failed empires or poor leadership.
I think it is healthy to develop positive warrior archetypes
within our families and cultures. We
often do so through athletic competition and development. It is important for humans to develop their
physical capabilities, coordination and confidence. It is part of “natural selection”. Normal people appreciate perfection
and accomplishment and tend to despise weakness and fear. Weakness and fear are not the code of
survival or being a warrior.
Being a warrior is not only physical. Mental preparedness
and education are equally or more important to developing a successful warrior
ethos. Steven Hawkins is a modern day
example of exemplifying a warrior spirit mentally while being a quadriplegic
bound in a wheelchair. He has not shied
away from taking contrary views about religion, science and culture while not
being able to physically fight for his ideals and beliefs. There are also too many examples of perfect
physical specimens of humanity who seem to have no intelligence or mental
prowess. Those who are lucky enough to combine the two often fall into lazy
habits of taking their advantage for granted and do not retain their competitive
edge in life because “things have come too easy for them”. Complacency and too much success too soon can
become the enemy of a successful warrior.
Ultimately, the successful warrior is able to apply lessons
in battle to all areas of their life. It is interesting to observe how some
military warriors leave the battlefield in “defeat” or at least not clear cut
victory…and then live out that defeat in all other areas of their lives. Some
warriors have come back from the battlefield missing limbs and still find ways
to fight and win in all future phases of their lives. Others come back never having been wounded,
but mentally retain a defeatist or fatalistic view of their future lives. I have seen many of these former soldiers
living homeless and penniless in American streets. It is to me the saddest example of warriors
who have lost a cause to battle for. They tend to escape to various substances
instead of determining to turn their failures into victories. It is a given that this is a very hard thing
to do…take failure in stride and not count on others to lift us to a level of
self-acceptance or dominance.
I think most people have some level of “warrior ethos”
within them. Unfortunately, most have
not been encouraged to “fight” for who and what they wanted to become. It is easier to let others or circumstances
dictate our lot in life to us. Some of
us believe in mysticism and “luck” when it comes to our conditions in
life. Others of us believe in “cause and
effect” ruling the day.
While I have never fought in the military or for a
“patriotic” cause…I believe I have fought my whole life for having freedom of
information, choice, integrity, and yes…paying the price or taking the credit
for my failures and victories. No one
wins ALL the time. Very few wars have
been fought where one side won every battle.
The key is knowing your objectives…and realistic odds of reaching them.
If we stay true to the realistic, surviving instincts within us…we can then use
our warrior spirit to push ourselves forward to win the war that is our
life…and take our losses in stride.
For me, “Semper Fi” begins with self before it
can extend to other warriors.