Our country is relatively new in the grand scheme of things. Part of how our country is run is in part to the ‘President of the United States’. Since 1789, the United States has had a president. This is just over 200 years of having a president – a very small time when the entire existence of the world is taken into perspective. Below is a list of the presidents, from the very first, George Washington, up until now, where the president is Barack H. Obama. I will state the significance and reason for my mentioning of the presidents of the United States after the list of them.
 

01	Washington, George (1789-1797)
02	Adams, John (1797-1801)
03	Jefferson, Thomas (1801-1809)
04	Madison, James (1809-1817)
05	Monroe, James (1817-1825)
06	Adams, John Quincy (1825-1829)
07	Jackson, Andrew (1829-1837)
08	Van Buren, Martin 1837-1841)
09	Harrison, William Henry (1841)
10	Tyler, John (1841-1845)
11	Polk, James Knox (1845-1849)
12	Taylor, Zachary (1849-1850)
13	Fillmore, Millard (1850-1853)
14	Pierce, Franklin (1853-1857)
15	Buchanan, James (1857-1861)
16	Lincoln, Abraham (1861-1865)
17	Johnson, Andrew (1865-1869)
18	Grant, Ulysses S. (1869-1877)
19	Hayes, Rutherford Birchard (1877-1881)
20	Garfield, James Abram (1881)
21	Arthur, Chester Alan (1881-1885)
22	Cleveland, Grover (1885-1889)
23	Harrison, Benjamin (1889-1893)
24	Cleveland, Grover (1893-1897)
25	McKinley, William (1897-1901)
26	Roosevelt, Theodore (1901-1909)
27	Taft, William Howard (1909-1913)
28	Wilson, Woodrow	(1913-1921)
29	Harding, Warren Gamaliel (1921-1923)
30	Coolidge, Calvin (1923-1929)
31	Hoover, Herbert Clark (1929-1933)
32	Roosevelt, Franklin Delano (1933-1945)
33	Truman, Harry (1945-1953)
34	Eisenhower, Dwight David (1953-1961)
35	Kennedy, John Fitzgerald (1961-1963)
36	Johnson, Lyndon Baines (1963-1969)
37	Nixon, Richard Milhous (1969-1974)
38	Ford, Gerald Rudolph (1974-1977)
39	Carter, James Earl Jr. (1977-1981
40	Reagan, Ronald Wilson (1981-1989)
41	Bush, George Herbert Walker (1989-1993)
42	Clinton, William Jefferson (1993-2001)
43	Bush, George Walker (2001-2009)
44	Obama, Barack Hussein (2009-present)

That’s a nice list, so what?

 

The presidents of the United States have come in different varieties.  Some are less ‘reputable’ than others, but they share some common characteristics.  These are the characteristics of intelligence, resolve, and fortitude.  As today is ‘Presidents Day’, I think it is worth looking at the list of presidents this country has had and thinking about their good qualities.

 

Intelligence

 

One does not simply become the President of the United States through dumb luck and a lack of intelligence.  It takes great brain power and even some luck.  Each president must have a wide array of knowledge in all areas of life, not to mention knowledge about politics and the way in which the country operates.

 

So to is intelligence a driving factor of progress with us.  Our intelligence plays a key role in where we make it to in life.  If we stop gaining intelligence, one can bet that the person who has stopped gaining intelligence will stay in the same place they are and be in that same place many years down the road.

 

Resolve

 

The president must have immense resolve.  I look at the term which George W. Bush just served, for eight years.  He has been slammed by the public, television shows, and anything else you can imagine.  Yet his resolve has remained firm.  He has not let himself get frazzled by the ramblings of other people.  Say what you want about him, he stayed on the course of resolve through harsh criticizm.

 

Our own individual resolve must be like that of a president.  Hard times may come, and challenges may surface.  It may be a common reaction to simply complain, or vent the frustration to those around.  This does nothing but spread negativity.  Don’t worry about what other people think.  Look inwards at yourself, and progress on the path which will make your life meaningful.

 

Fortitude

 

Fortitude is the health and stamina which one has.  While some of the presidents have not been in the greatest physical condition, their mental fortitude is likely unmatched.  Just think about how much weight is on every decision the president makes.  Think of the scrutiny and bickernig that is going to happen with every decision.  The president must have the fortitude to withstand this and move forward.

 

In our lives, fortitude is something to seek after.  Not only is staying in great physical condition necessary for maintaining an active and happy life, our emotional condition is equally important.  When challenges arise, or fatigue sets in, it is important to stay on the path of diligence and perseverance.  How often do we get tired, or not feel like working on the things which we know will separate us from mediocrity.  Don’t fall into this trap.  Remain diligent and consistent.

 

Final Thoughts

 

Take a moment and examine the list of presidents of the United States from Wikipedia.org.  I have taken a greater interest in the history of our country since this last election.  If nothing else, I wish to know about the people running our country.  I know I could probably name about six presidents of the United States.  I hope to memorize this list and use it as another tool to help me further create my legacy in the world today.

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