Marcus Aurelius was a Roman Emperor. But not just any Roman Leader nor for that matter just any leader. He was an exceptional leader and a very exceptional man. The modern world would be better off to have, if we need leaders at all, more like him. His rules were much like his lifestyle, simple.
- Get along with other people
- Be hardworking and conscientious
- Don’t seek praise or flatter others
- Don’t be afraid of criticism
- Be content with the simple things in life
“Among men who rise to fame and leadership two types are recognizable—those who are born with a belief in themselves and those in whom it is a slow growth dependent on actual achievement. To the men of the last type their own success is a constant surprise, and its fruits the more delicious, yet to be tested cautiously with a haunting sense of doubt whether it is not all a dream. In that doubt lies true modesty, not the sham of insincere self-depreciation but the modesty of “moderation,” in the Greek sense. It is poise, not pose.”
The people of America need all the strength and love their President can muster for he has a task with the coronavirus that requires all those component parts but also George Floyd's murder and the subsequent riots to deal with. He needs to have and to adopt - love, fortitude, modesty, to be hardworking, conscientious, unafraid of criticism but above all else to remember Marcus Aurelius words - "Understand that people exist to help one another."
