James Mattis Tells Merchant Marine Grads ‘Do Not Celebrate Victimhood’
“I want you to take good responsibility, full responsibility for your reaction to adversity.”
James Mattis is awesome. We could use a few more men like him.
Task and Purpose reports:
Mattis To Merchant Marine Graduates: ‘Do Not Celebrate Victimhood’
Secretary of Defense James Mattis delivered a forceful message on Saturday to the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy graduating class of 2018: Don’t be a victim.
“Do not celebrate victimhood,” Mattis said in his commencement address in Kings Point, New York on June 16. “Life as a leader is hard … enjoy it, embrace it, and practice your skill and put it to use when the hard times come, coaching the others to take disappointment in stride. And do not fall into cynicism which is just another word in the armed services for cowardice.”…
You’ve got to be the men and women of integrity, of honor, intelligence, dedication, and competence. See I was reading your material here, OK young folks? You were made to be for that and you don’t want to be anything less because at the end of the day you’ve got to live up to that standard. You do not want to live down from it.
I want you to take good responsibility, full responsibility for your reaction to adversity. In a country that sometimes is not known for this anymore, remember who brought you up. Remember who you follow in the footsteps of. Do not celebrate victimhood. Life as a leader is hard enjoy it, embrace it, and practice your skill and put it to use when the hard times come, coaching the others to take disappointment in stride. And do not fall into cynicism which is just another word in the armed services for cowardice.
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General Mattis had a long career in the Marines and, without doubt, inspired, trained and motivated thousands of leaders by his example and mentoring of junior officers.
He has the right stuff and he’s not stingy with it.