…are doomed to repeat it.
We’ve all heard this phrase before. Whether it’s a professor straining for a political allegory or a hack writing filler jokes for a high school comedy, it’s probably the Julius Caesar of stock phrases when discussing history.
(And what better way to begin to establish your unique new voice on a topic than with a stock phrase, ammiright…?)
I’m using it here as an example of why so many people are turned off history. Even when trying to make it sound compelling or sexy (in a “politician-with-an-open-collar” kind of way), people can’t help but pitch history as a collection of cautionary tales, case studies that you should read about in order to avoid.
Worse still, these are usually stories of societal collapse or geopolitical turmoil that have little real world application unless you’re a government minister or a senior economist. Thus, most people perceive history as a set of stories about old, dead guys that they can’t relate to.
But what if there were a different way of thinking about history? What if we approached it not as a collection of cautionary tales to make us wary, but rather looked to it for examples that could inspire us?
Julius Caesar. Marcus Aurelius. Niccolo Machiavelli. Alexander The Great. Catherine The Great. These are examples of people who, by their words or deeds, left such a mark on the world that their names continue to resonate centuries later. Surely within their lives and stories are lessons that we can learn (other than, of course, that including the words “the great” on your child’s birth certificate is usually a pretty safe bet).
This is the mission statement of High Impact History. I don’t want to write meandering eulogies on people or places, I want to reach deep and dig out the kernels of gold that will directly impact YOU and bring benefit to YOUR life. What can we learn from Caesar’s oratorical skills and ability to charm? How can Alexander teach us about leadership? Are Machiavelli’s strategies applicable to the modern workplace or social dynamics?
Make no mistake about it, the great men and women of history offer us a blueprint to find our own greatness in life. Let’s stand on the shoulders of these giants and cross the Rubicon together.