Echoes of Giants
: Building Your Personal Pantheon for Unrivalled Influence
Forget self-help gurus. The real game-changer is learning from the best who ever lived, not just by reading their words, but by integrating their mastery into your very being.
This ain't about feel-good bollocks or finding your inner 'spirit animal'. This is about getting better, sharper, and tougher. It's about raising your personal standard, not just for the fuck of it, but because the world out there doesn't give a toss about your comfort zone.
The military, like life, demands constant improvement. You don't get by on "good enough" when the shit hits the fan, look at happened to the British motor industry. So, let's break down how you forge yourself into something more formidable. It comes down to two key components:
1. Choose Your Exemplars Wisely
Most people wander through life surrounded by chance, not choice. Their mates, their family, their colleagues – they just are. And for most, that means being surrounded by average. You want to be average? Fine. Stop reading. But if you want to be more, you need to be deliberate.
Think of it like this: A crack commando unit doesn't pick its members from a phone book. They pick the best, the ones who set the pace, the ones who embody what excellence looks like under pressure. You need to do the same for your own life.
Who are they? They can be anyone: someone who pushes you, a historical figure whose resilience you admire, even a fictional character whose dedication is unwavering. The point isn't their status; it's the specific trait, skill, or value they embody that you want for yourself.
Why does it matter? Because they set a new baseline. Your parents' standards, your mates' limitations – they don't apply anymore. Your exemplars show you what's truly possible, what your standards should be. As Kaufman put it, studying good models is the single most important technique for success. Seneca knew it two millennia ago: find someone "whose authority might make even its inner shrine more hallowed." We're talking about a fucking North Star, mate.
Don't be a snob: This isn't about finding perfect people. Perfect people don't exist. Matt, the chap I decided to mention, was demanding as hell. Not everyone liked him. But he was a shortcut to excellence for those willing to put in the work. Learn from the best at something, even if they've got a few moral bruises. Don't throw the apple away because of a patch of skin. Cato the Elder was spot on: "Be careful not to rashly refuse to learn from others."
Your Personal Board of Directors
This concept from Jim Collins is a bloody game-changer. Imagine a council of your chosen exemplars advising you. These aren't just names on a list; they're the embodiment of the skills, attitudes, and dispositions you want to hardwire into yourself.
Mix and Match: Your board should have a blend of high accomplishment and high character. That visionary CEO, that fearless philosopher, that humble-but-lethal tactician – they all have a seat at your high table.
Dynamic and Evolving: This isn't a static committee. People come and go. When you've bled all the lessons dry from one, slot in another. Sometimes you need the peacetime consigliere, sometimes the wartime one. Each leads you to the next.
The Munger Rule: Parrish's exemplar, Charlie Munger, the sharp as a tack partner of Warren Buffett, taught me a crucial lesson: "I never allow myself to have an opinion on anything unless I know the other side's argument better than they do." (Why can't this just be the fucking norm, for everything?) Now that's raising the bar, isn't it? It's not about being right; it's about being thorough. It forces you to challenge your own beliefs, to understand the opposition's weaknesses better than they do themselves. That's strategic thinking.
Accessing the Greats
In this day and age, you've got no excuse. Your phone isn't just for playing Candy Crush or posting benign bullshit on tiktok; it's a direct channel to some of the smartest bastards who've ever lived.
Listen to Authenticity: Podcasts, interviews, lectures – you can hear these titans in their own fucking words, unfiltered. No PR spin, no second-hand accounts.
Assemble Your Pantheon: Whether it's Marcus Aurelius, Richard Feynman, or Serena Williams, they're all there, waiting for your invitation to join your internal council. As Montaigne said, "I have gathered a garland of other men's flowers, and nothing is mine but the cord that binds them."
When you imagine them watching, your behaviour shifts (WWJD?). They become your internal drill sergeants, your measure of excellence. You're not competing with them; you're competing with the pathetic version of yourself from yesterday. A slight improvement today? That's a victory, mate. Just 1 fucking percent.
2. Practice, Practice, Practice
Choosing your exemplars is only half the battle. This isn't some academic exercise. This is about internalising their standards, making their excellence yours. As Aristotle hammered home: "We become builders... by building, and we become harpists by playing the harp. So too we become just by doing just actions, temperate by doing temperate actions, brave by doing brave actions."
Imitate, Then Integrate: Ask yourself: "What would my Serena Williams do?" If you're considering a risky move, "How would Charlie Munger pitch this idea?" Imagine them watching. Their collective wisdom becomes your internal compass.
Repetition is Key: Do this again and again and again until it's ingrained. Until thinking like Munger or acting with the resolve of Marcus Aurelius isn't a deliberate effort, but a reflex. It becomes part of who you are, not just who you wish to be.
Don't practice until you get it right, practice until you no longer get it wrong.
The Sandbox Principle
You wouldn't send a raw recruit into a live-fire zone without training, would you? The same applies to life.
Controlled Failure: A sandbox is a place where screw-ups have minimal consequences. It's a low-stakes environment to test yourself, to fail safely, and to learn from your fuck-ups without losing your shirt, your reputation, or your life.
From Rookie to Veteran: That first management role, dealing with a small team before running an entire company – that's a sandbox. The mistakes are contained.
Military Application: In the intelligence agency, we'd rehearse operations meticulously. We'd treat practice as if it were the real thing, anticipating every possible snag. Failing in that sandbox meant learning invaluable lessons gained with minimal real-world pain. Failing in the field... well, that's a different story.
Your Impact
And finally, don't forget the other side of the coin. Whilst you're busy choosing your personal board, remember: you could be on someone else's. Denzel Washington summed it up beautifully: "You never know who you touch. You never know how or when you'll have an impact, or how important your example can be to someone else."
Your kids, that new guy at work, some distant cousin – someone out there is looking up to you, using your behaviour as their own North Star. Every decision you make, every action you take (I'll be watchin' you), has the power to shift someone else's trajectory. So, raise your own bar, not just for yourself, but for those who are watching. Be an exemplar for someone else. Be the one who, even in their absence, can still inspire. That's a legacy worth fighting for.
Clear Thinking by Shane Parrish: Chapter 2.7.
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