3 Insights
“Discipline is the soul of an army. It makes small numbers formidable, procures success to the weak, and esteem to all.” — George Washington
“I read, I study, I examine, I listen, I reflect, and out of all of this, I try to form an idea into which I put as much common sense as I can.” — Marquis de Lafayette
“In knowing yourself, you accept your limits. You are simply one person among many in the world, and not naturally superior to anyone.” — Robert Greene
What I Learned this Week
Marquis de Lafayette, or Gilbert du Motier, was a noble-born Frenchman who fought not only in the American Revolution, but also in the French Revolution. One of his four children was named Georges Washington—in honor of his friend, George Washington.
To Lafayette, Washington became a father figure, while Lafayette embodied the qualities of an ideal son for Washington.
The Quiet Strength of Ethos (“Cur non?”)
Ethos is a Greek word meaning character. It refers to your personality. You could think of character as “what you do when no one is watching.”
Depending on the culture, one’s ethos can be greatly influenced. Organizations have an ethos. Military units have an ethos. Sports teams have an ethos. Families have an ethos. Even countries can have an ethos.
It was April when the 19-year-old man boarded a boat for a four-month journey. Traveling from France to America in 1777 was not easy. Marquis de Lafayette landed in South Carolina in July of that year. He still had to make a 900 mile overland trek to Philadelphia in order to try to join up with the Continental Army. At first, George Washington refused the foreigner’s assistance when he arrived at the Moland House with a commission granted him by Congress for a rank in the Continental Army.
The General explained that all ranks were occupied by experienced and seasoned officers. Lafayette himself had no formal military expertise. While Washington invited him to join the American cause, it took time for Lafayette to prove his loyalty to America.
At the Moland encampment, the story goes that Lafayette was hanging around when two American Generals were discussing his arrival. The two men were overheard saying: “It’s somewhat embarrassing to us to show ourselves to an officer who has just come from the army of France.”
The Frenchman simply revealed his ethos when he said, “I’m here to learn, and not to teach.” This was his attitude throughout the war that earned him the trust of General Washington as a lifelong friend.
An ethos is more than a set of words. It should be thought of as a set of actions. What do you do? What do you do when no one is looking? Do you make the easy choice, even if it might not be the right choice?
Do you have the humility to listen and learn?
The Latin Phrase “Cur Non?” means “Why Not?” It also happens to be the motto (or even Ethos) of the Marquis de Lafayette’s Coat of Arms. When asked why he would leave the comforts of his home in France to fight for Liberty among a country of strange men whom he does not know, he frequently would respond with “Why Not?”
Reflections
What’s the ethos you live by?
The Real Con 106