As anyone who has been to the blog site recently knows, it is been stagnant and that is putting it mildly. I have struggled to find blog topics that won’t cause more grief and aggravation than dialogue. The world as we know it has changed exponentially in the last two years. Cov-id has changed us in ways that we haven’t even begun to accept. With that in mind, I decided to return to my roots and find the topics that resonated with me when I took a leap of faith and started down the road to being my own ‘boss’.
My search led me back to a set of ground rules entitled “The Warrior’s Battle Cry”. In the infancy of our company, it was printed on our company journals, was on the wall beside my desk, and became the basis for our company name. They captured the essence of our mission. It didn’t hurt that I come from a long line of warriors, male and female.
As I reviewed the ground rules, it occurred to me that they are as valid today as they were when they were first printed on the cover of those journals. I have no idea who the author was but they have my eternal gratitude for taking the time to put them in writing.
These ground rules deserve to be re-examined for their place in today’s world. After all, the warriors of ancient times didn’t have guns, trucks, tanks, airplanes, helicopters, electric stoves, gas generators, waterproof clothing or nutritious food. They went into battle having to get within breathing distance of the enemy. The old adage of “looking into the whites of their eyes” meant that the enemy was within arm’s length. Consider for a moment what courage it must have taken to:
- Be Bold – make your place, own it, and make a difference.
- Put together your plan – planning has always been under-valued.
- Put a fire in your belly – you need to want it enough to make a difference
- Put a lion in your heart – find your spin
- Get Going – take the first step
- Capitalize on your resources – you are not alone unless you want to be
- Sharpen your sword – learn something new every day
- Know what you are selling – if you aren’t passionate about it, no one else will be
- Strengthen your shield – this life doesn’t guarantee you a smooth process, find your strength
- Follow through – take one step at time
- Use your energy wisely – don’t fit with those who are not worth your time
- Get up when you are knocked down – no one said that you were guaranteed success, your path is your own. Own it.
- Savour your victories – enjoy your victories but don’t flaunt them.
- Learn from your successes and your defeats – never stop learning.
For the next several blogs, I am going to explore each of the tenets of the Warrior’s Battle Cry to put their currency into perspective for today and beyond. I remember my parents’ approach to life. I can hear them saying that “we are too soft today. We give up too quickly, take offense too quickly, forgive too little, complain too much, listen to no one, and avoid reaching understanding.” We need a reminder that after thousands of years that some things just don’t change.
Our ancestors fought for everything. Nothing was given to them.
Perhaps, at the end of the blog series, the Warrior’s Battle Cry can serve as a reminder that the lessons of our ancestors are as valid today as they were in the past..
