The Mettleist Manifesto
Gentlemen,
If this list appeals to your nature, you are in the right place.
Welcome to The Mettleist.
|Met·tle|n. Substance or quality of temperament; spirit, esp. as regards honor, courage, fortitude, ardor, etc.; disposition; — usually in a good sense. A certain critical hour which shall…try what mettle his heart is made of. South. Gentlemen of brave mettle. Shak. The winged courser, like a generous horse, Shows most true mettle when you check his course. Pope. To put on one’s mettle, to cause or incite one to use one’s best efforts.1
We are strivers - we pursue the good life with urgency and vigor.
We strive to be a physical force - physical fitness is the soil from which ambition springs. Through regular physical exertion, vitality increases.
We strive to be an intellectual force - as much about virtue, honesty, integrity, and bravery as it is about IQ. Through good intellectual habits, intelligence expands.
We believe in being useful -
“A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly.”
― Robert A. Heinlein
We believe in the power of responsibility - we take our responsibilities seriously but never ourselves. Responsibility is always a privilege.
We believe in a job well done - we care deeply about our endeavors, big and small. Our work funds our ambition. It does not define us.
We believe in the long game - the most powerful force that we can harness is dogged, incremental, constant progress over a long time frame.
We believe in cultivating taste - we are tuned in to what moves us. Details matter.
We believe in thoughtful dress and grooming - we don’t tolerate slouches.
We believe in manners and decorum - Whilst knowing how and when to tastefully break them.
We believe in good posture and a friendly disposition - chest out, chin up. Mood is a choice.
We believe in the art of conversation - we abhor bores
We believe curiosity is a virtue - odd and broad consumption facilitates far transfer and novel insight.
We appreciate a sharp sense of humor - friendly banter is highly encouraged. Be capable of dishing it out and taking it in stride.
We are champions of self-expression - we root for one another in public and thoughtfully critique in private.
We believe in picking up the tab - and tipping generously.
We are The Mettleist - spirited and resilient.
This definition is pulled from the Webster’s Writer’s Dictionary app. The best $2.00 I’ve spent… possibly ever.