It is often asserted history is constructed through the victor — that a direct consequence of conflict, the defeated are often portrayed as being a collective, detestable mass that follows a similarly repulsive value system. Yet, though his Confederate Army is at the losing end of America’s Civil War, Robert E. Lee is remembered as among the most celebrated generals in American history.
Rational ideas of armed conflict presume that defeated soldiers must be denounced, not exalted; punished, not praised; and despised, not admired. However, Lee is entirely with the latter. What made one man, one soldier, so special that he’s remembered by more Americans today than lots of his victorious Union counterparts?
Unfortunately, this is the question a large number of volumes of books have had trouble answering. And, I suspect that you have no desire (in this particular moment, no less than) to learn content of such depth and breadth (and that i admit which i could not write it). Nonetheless, easily had to describe the real reason for Lee’s appeal in one word, it might be “motivation.”
I will explore this theme negative credit the next quote:
“There is scarcely something that is right that people cannot desire to accomplish by labor and perseverance. Though the first have to be earnest as well as the second unremitting.”
Robert E. Lee
Earnest Labor
Today’s culture is certainly one in which immediacy is glorified — from your 24 / 7 news cycle; to tarts that “pop” simply uses pour a glass of milk; to magic weight loss supplements — in ways that it is possible to forget that anything worth accomplishing takes earnest labor, which I would define as a serious and purposeful exertion of body, mind and spirit.
Because companies speak about pouring their blood, sweat and tears to their companies, they refer merely to earnest labor.
When the craft of an famous musician or star athlete appears to be look “easy,” it really is made so through earnest labor.
And, once i make an effort to achieve my goal of managing a marathon, I will invest in one principle: you guessed it, earnest labor.
The opportunity to learn; the electricity to change; and also the means by which goals are accomplished; are controlled by your power to work hard, and do this earnestly — without reservations (or a magic pill).
Unremitting Perseverance
Lee fought an uphill battle for a lot of the Civil War. His outnumbered and poorly-supplied army shrank daily as a result of desertions by disheartened soldiers. Yet, despite this, he fought vigorously until the moment when defeat was imminent.
How many times can we stop trying goals when things aren’t proceeding exactly as there was anticipated? Would you choose to stop smoking, then again found you had an enormous project due at the job, school, or elsewhere? Did you try building a habit of getting out of bed earlier each morning, then again slept within the next day and decided it’s a pointless exercise?
Lee posseses an answer of these, and other, problems: unremitting perseverance, that we would define being a steady, unshakable persistence in sticking to an alternative, belief, or purpose.
Once i train for and eventually run the marathon, I know that there would have been a little voice around my head telling me to stop; which it hurts too much to look to the next level. However, my unremitting perseverance in adopting the challenge — all the way to the final line — will enable me to concentrate only to my footsteps against the pavement; the gentle breeze passing over my ears; along with the rhythm of my breathing — thus pushing that little voice into the depths of my subconscious.
Nevertheless, robert e lee accomplishments is a perfect example that harboring unremitting perseverance does not ensure victory. After all, he was defeated in war. Yet, even during momentary failure, perseverance provides you with the electricity to acquire back on your own metaphorical (or actual) horse and ride into battle (hopefully metaphorical) yet again, pursuing your ultimate goal with the knowledge that may just be learned through setback.
It is known that history is constructed by the victor; and, in Lee’s case, it is. In capturing the hearts of Americans, both through his military actions, his personal value system, with his fantastic sincere words of wisdom, Robert E. Lee is clearly victorious.
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