A Lesson on Role Models From Pliny the Younger

Pliny the Younger was a GREAT MAN of ancient Rome. And like all great men, he had a prolific role model that was inhabiting his spirit world: his uncle.

Pliny’s uncle was a busy statesman; yet in his spare time, the uncle manged to write the following works:

• A treatise in one volume, “On the Use of the Dart by Cavalry”
• Two volumes entitles “The Life of Pomponius Secundus”
• Thirty-seven books on Natural History
• Thirty books on the history of Aufidius Bassus
• Twenty books on “The History of the Wars in Germany”
• Eight Books entitled “Questions of Grammar and Style”
• Six volumes of a work entitled “The Student,” on the attributes of successful oration

Pliny was in awe. He reflected on his uncle by stating the following:

It amuses me then when I hear myself called a studious man, who in comparison with him am the merest idler.

Summary: The role model is a man of high achievement. We stand in the shadow of his lofty ascension. He hovers atop a mountain, looking down on the mediocre masses. To stand beside him, we too must ascend! We must burn away the degenerate part of our self…the conscience of a humiliated half-man.

To be a GREAT MAN is painful; for it means that we must kill the drug dealer that hides in our soul: we must destroy the charlatan within.

Pliny had a GREAT MAN beside him: his uncle. But not everyone is so fortunate. The rest need to look for these men, wherever they may be…

See Related Article: The “Nice” Man is Not a Great Man

 

 

What Are Your Three Greatest Accomplishments?

This question was posed to me awhile ago. Originally, I thought it was poppycock. But now I realize that it’s a question worth asking.

The answer to the question will depend on the person. Everybody’s different. So each man’s definition of “accomplishment” is similar to those that think like him: i.e. Robert Kiyosaki will give creedance to Donald Trump. Kobe Bryant will be interested in Wilt Chamberlain. Buddy Guy will investigate the ideas of BB King. And so on…

Your definition of “accomplishment” dictates your life.  It colors how you view the past, how you see the present, and what you’re looking for in the future.

A GREAT MAN is ruthlessly dedicated to his definition of accomplishment; he never lets a differing definition usurp his own.

To thine own self be true! Do you have the courage to follow that statement? Or will you kowtow to others, letting their vision of the world become your own?

See Related Article: Revenge is the Father of Self-Esteem

 

You Should Aim for Lofty Accomplishments

Are the things you accomplish unique? Or can anyone do them?

If your trophies are common, then nobody will care about you. They won’t care about your Facebook postings, your daily affairs, etc. And the reason is simple…anybody can do the ordinary.

Anything of value takes hard work and time. Success is rooted in a thousand minute details…boring events on a Wednesday afternoon. For the musician, this means the practicing of scales. For the He-Man, it means running on a thread mill for hours. And for the author, it means reading supplementary material to strengthen his writing skills. None of these actions will go public. Nobody will applaud the boring reality that goes on “behind the scenes.”

So you have to dedicate yourself to the process. Set the goal and do the work. Be focused and diligent. Ignore the detractors…your goal is a golden cup. You should should see your name in the history books of tomorrow.

Thomas Carlyle said it best…

“The history of the world is but the biography of great men.”

Carlyle would not believe in a participation trophy, no doubt. He believed in the GREAT MAN.

So true. When somebody tells you, “I can’t do this because I have kids,” then you are speaking to a loser. GREAT MEN have children…and they accomplish GREAT THINGS. So stop using that excuse as a crutch. Do more, be more. Shake free of the weakness that clouds your mind.

Go for something higher…something beyond the commonplace. Only then will you be interesting to others and, ultimately, gain the adoration you seek. Are you a warrior or a child? Decide right now. Pick up the staff of determination and fight, my lad!

You should aim for lofty accomplishments.

See Related Article: The Nice Man is Not a Great Man