Theodore Roosevelt: Find Strength in Adversity

August 07, 2024 Jen Forsman

(first published July 18, 2024)

Hi Stagers!

Welcome to the third edition of the 'Win at Life' blog, where we draw inspiration from remarkable stories to help you achieve your goals and live life to the fullest.

While the world evolves and technology advances, we look to the past to understand the future – as the fundamental questions we face largely remain the same. By examining historical precedents and patterns, we work to foresee the outcomes of our choices based on common themes.

That's why we produce the 'Win at Life' newsletter, spotlighting historical and contemporary figures who achieved extraordinary success in the face of adversity. In nearly all cases, they meticulously staged their lives to make their success. These individuals faced unique challenges, and their triumphs were not mere accidents of fate. Rather, they consciously found strength in adversity, serving as timeless inspirations for us at Stagefully – as we are reminded that the making of our success is dependent upon the making of ourselves.

This week, I had planned to spotlight someone else. But, given the failed assassination attempt on former president and the Republican Party’s nominee in the 2024 election, Donald Trump, it seemed fitting to turn to another U.S. president who similarly faced and overcame one of the most daunting challenges imaginable: a failed assassination attempt while seeking reelection. It also seemed fitting to provide a brief historical analysis of other U.S. presidents who have faced assassination or assassination attempts – as we work to make sense of recent events, in an effort to bridge divides following calls for national unity and pray for the families of those impacted. Such analysis is located in the 'PS' section.

Win at Life: Theodore Roosevelt

Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt, the 26th President of the United States, took office on September 14, 1901, following the unexpected assassination of President William McKinley. From 1901 to 1909, Roosevelt served as president under the Republican Party.

Three-and-a-half years after leaving the office of the presidency, and after failing to win the Republican nomination, he ran for president again under the Progressive Party (also known as the “Bull Moose Party”). At that time, there were no formal laws limiting the number of terms a U.S. president could serve.

But, on October 14, 1912, while on the campaign trail seeking a third term, Roosevelt, at the age of 54, was shot in the right side of his chest by a would-be assassin during a speech in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The bullet was slowed by a metal eyeglass case and a folded 50-page speech in his jacket pocket, likely saving his life. But despite the bullet lodging in his chest, he remarkably continued to deliver his speech for another 90 minutes before seeking medical attention.

Despite failing to win a third term, Roosevelt's resilience in the face of such adversity provides us with powerful lessons on determination, courage, and leadership, as does his life. To understand the full extent of Roosevelt's achievements and the making of his remarkable legacy, let's delve into the overview of his life. As always, please note some dates and ages serve as approximations, as they are meant to provide a sense in navigating.

THEODORE ROOSEVELT TIMELINE:

1858 (Age 0): Born on October 27, 1858 in New York City to Theodore Roosevelt Sr., a philanthropist and businessman, and Martha Bulloch Roosevelt, a socialite.

1861 (Age 3): Suffered terrifying asthma attacks as a poor and sickly child that struck without warning and continued throughout his childhood and adolescence. While physical exercise alleviated his symptoms, he continued to suffer from asthma throughout his life.

1865 (Age 6): Witnessed the Abraham Lincoln funeral procession from the window of his grandfather’s home in New York City.

1869-1870 (Age 10-11): His father took him on a year-long trip to Europe primarily to help him find fresh air that could alleviate his symptoms.

1870-1876 (Age 10-18): Due to health issues, including severe asthma, spent much of his childhood at home. He was homeschooled by private tutors throughout his youth. Developed a passion for natural history, collecting specimens and studying wildlife.

1872 (Age 14): Started an arduous physical fitness program involving gymnastics and weightlifting to build his lung capacity. As his teen years approached, his father encouraged him to build his body through physical exercise, saying, “Theodore, you have the mind, but you have not the body, and without the help of the body the mind cannot go as far as it should. You must make your body.”

1876 (Age 18): Entered Harvard College. His father instructed him to, "take care of your morals first, your health next, and finally your studies."

1878 (Age 19): His father’s sudden death (age 46) from a gastrointestinal tumor devastated Roosevelt. This deeply affected Roosevelt, who looked up to his father as a role model and source of strength. He inherited approximately $65,000 (about $1.8 million in today's dollars).

1880 (Age 22): Graduated from Harvard with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history. Married Alice Hathaway Lee, who was 19 years old. They had one daughter, Alice Lee Roosevelt.

1881 (Age 23): Entered Columbia Law School but left after a year to pursue a career in politics, becoming a college dropout as he focused on politics and lost interest in a legal career.

1882 (Age 23): Wrote and published his first book, “The Naval War of 1812.” He went on to become a prolific writer, penning nearly 40 books and an estimated 150,000 letters.

1882 (Age 23): Became the youngest man ever elected to the New York State Assembly, where he served until 1884 when tragedy struck.

1884 (Age 26): Tragedy struck on the same day with the death of his mother, Martha (age 48), from typhoid fever and his wife, Alice (age 22), from undiagnosed Bright’s disease (kidney disease) just two days after giving birth to their only child. Each loss was an unexpected shock to Roosevelt, marking his diary with a simple “X” and the words, “The light has gone out of my life.” To overcome grief, he retreated to the Badlands of North Dakota where he hunted big game, drove cattle, and worked as a frontier sheriff. He found solace and purpose in the Badlands, which shaped his robust persona and leadership. During this period, his daughter Alice Lee Roosevelt went to live with his sister Bamie (Anna) in New York City.

1886 (Age 28): Returned to New York, married his childhood sweetheart Edith Kermit Carow, who was 25 years old, and resumed his political career. Roosevelt and Edith had five children: Theodore Jr., Kermit, Ethel, Archibald, and Quentin.

1886 (Age 28): Ran unsuccessfully for mayor of New York City.

1889 (Age 31): Appointed as a member of the United States Civil Service Commission by President Benjamin Harrison. He was reappointed by Harrison’s successor, Grover Cleveland.

1891 (Age 33): Had his brother Elliott forcibly institutionalized under a doctor’s care in a sanitarium following a lifelong struggle with alcoholism that led to his estrangement from his family.

1894 (Age 36): His brother Elliott (Age 34) attempted suicide by jumping out of a window and died a few days later. As children, Elliott was often considered the more successful brother, representing a tragic end to a life that slowly disintegrated from a promising start.

1895 (Age 37): Became the President of the New York City Board of Police Commissioners, where he implemented significant reforms, including the introduction of standardized police practices and the use of telephones in precincts.

1897 (Age 39): Appointed as Assistant Secretary of the Navy under President William McKinley. He was instrumental in preparing the Navy for the Spanish-American War.

1898 (Age 40): Resigned from his position to form the Rough Riders and fight in the Spanish-American War, gaining national fame for his leadership in the Battle of San Juan Hill. Faced numerous political defeats but used each as a learning experience, which eventually led to his successful presidency.

1900 (Age 42): Elected Vice President of the United States after being nominated by President McKinley to balance the ticket with his progressive and reformist views. His dynamic personality and reformist stance helped to energize the campaign.

1901 (Age 43): Became the youngest president in U.S. history after the unexpected assassination of President McKinley. Took office with six children and a menagerie of pets, including dogs, cats, guinea pigs, a pony, and even a small bear.

1901-1909 (Ages 43-50): Served as President, implementing progressive reforms and strengthening the Navy. As an American expansionist, he advocated for a strong military and naval presence, promoting the idea of the United States as a global power. He played a key role in the construction of the Panama Canal, which significantly enhanced maritime trade routes and solidified America's strategic and economic influence worldwide. And, as a conservationist, he set aside land for many of America’s national parks and monuments, protecting approximately 230 million acres of public land.

1902 (Age 44): Inspired the creation of the teddy bear, a beloved children's toy, following a 1902 bear-hunting trip where he famously refused to shoot a bear that had been cornered and tied to a tree.

1905 (Age 47): Regularly staged boxing matches in the White House, taking on anyone he could - including professional boxers. In 1905, he became partially blind in one eye by a punch from his military aide. After which he boxed less and switched to jiu-jitsu, tennis, and rowing.

1906 (Age 48): Became the first President to win a Nobel Peace Prize for his mediation in ending the Russo-Japanese War.

1912 (Age 54): Survived an assassination attempt while campaigning for a third term three-and-a-half years after leaving the office of the presidency. Used the attempt on his life as a testament to his resilience, further solidifying his image as a tough and unyielding leader.

1914 (Age 56): Became a vocal advocate of the U.S. entrance into World War I (1914-1918) and even sought to win a commission to lead a U.S. Army division in Europe. President Wilson declined, and after the war, Roosevelt was a vocal opponent of his League of Nations.

1918 (Age 59): His youngest son, Quentin (age 20), a pilot in the U.S. Air Service, was killed in aerial combat during World War I, making him the only son of a U.S. president to die in combat. As Roosevelt’s youngest and, by many accounts, favorite child, Quentin’s death had a profound effect on Roosevelt.

1919 (Age 60): Died in his sleep on January 6, 1919 from a clot of blood which detached itself from a vein and entered the lungs (Pulmonary embolism). He left a multifaceted and profound legacy. At the time of his death, his net worth was estimated to be around $500,000 (about $7 million in today's dollars).

1939: Immortalized on Mount Rushmore, alongside three other iconic U.S. presidents (Washington, Lincoln, and Jefferson). Roosevelt's legacy endures as a symbol of resilience, leadership, and dedication to public service and environmental preservation.

Theodore Roosevelt's legacy is multifaceted, reflecting his dynamic personality, rugged masculinity, ruthless determination, and diverse achievements. His life demonstrated an incredible level of resilience, as Roosevelt was a master at finding strength in adversity. From overcoming severe asthma as a child to facing personal tragedies and political challenges, he chose to face each situation head-on, showing that resilience is not about avoiding challenges but about confronting them with courage. As Roosevelt said, "Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." For, his ordeals did not weaken him but reinforced his resolve and strength of character. His life reminds us that adversity can be a powerful catalyst for personal growth and development. He wisely noted, "Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty."

From his life, we are reminded that resilience is built through action and that leadership is not just about making decisions, but also about setting an example through one’s actions. Or, as Roosevelt eloquently put it:

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."

Stay tuned for more inspiring stories and practical tips to help you 'Win at Life' Until next time, keep dreaming, staging, and achieving your goals.

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Thank you for reading! I appreciate you!

Wishing you and yours a lovely day.

Fondly,

Jen Forsman

Founder, Stagefully | Creator of the Stagefulness Philosophy

"Inspiring a better tomorrow, through a meaningful today."

#stagefully #stagefulness #stagemakers #stagemasters

PS: Did you know? Since the first US president took office in 1789, the United States has had 46 presidents, of which four presidents (8.7%) were assassinated, three presidents (6.5%) were injured during failed assassination attempts, two presidents (4.3%) narrowly escaped assassination, and in-office deaths of two presidents (4.3%) were rumored to be assassinations by poisoning. To learn more, visit this link.