Perhaps the Chad of all Chads? This week we pay homage to the one and only Alexander the Great.
Not many people in history have “The Great” attached to their names. And this was not just some random historical whim. The title was well deserved to say the least as you should know.
Alexander was born in 336 BC and his short ruling of 13 years was enough to build one of the biggest empires in the world.
And it would be impossible to detail in such a brief space all the things that made him Great. But we shall instead talk about one of the lessons all aspiring Chads can take from him. Let’s go.
Young Alexander didn’t have an easy going.
His father Philip was assassinated during a turbulent period of time where Greek city-states were in constant fighting.
Now, one of the challenges he faced was how he dealt with the treacherous Thebans.
The Thebans, long vassals of the Macedonian Kingdom, were ready to conspire when they wrongly thought that Alexander was killed in battle.
They proceeded to not only lynch and murder Macedonian traders and officers, but quickly rallied behind Persian funds to declare themselves independent from Alexander.
Of course, Alexander was “the Great”, not “the Oh well…”
He marched his army across over 500 kilometers in less than ten days to show himself to the deceitful Thebans.
Unlike other famous battles, like Issus or Gaugamela, Alexander almost doubled the defending Theban army, and swiftly executed 6000 Theban soldiers, before selling the remaining 30.000 citizens to slavery.
The city of Thebes was obliterated and erased from the face of the earth.
Noy you may say, this was all a bit harsh. And how can this apply to me in 2023?
Well, Alexander sent a powerful and resonating message. He was the head honcho of the Greek peninsula, and whoever thought otherwise would end up facing the consequences.
Creating a reputation for yourself (good or bad) can really have impactful long term consequences for you (also good or bad).
Sending a strong message of your character should be an intentional act in all that you do. Make sure it is the message you want others to hear.
People are always listening to your actions, not just your words. Whether you want to or not. Give them something Great to talk about!