The Roosevelt Approach

The 26th President of the US was a total badass!  And we can learn from his approach.

BUT, he died over a century ago...so it got me thinking HOW his life principles might apply to us today...in a very different world. 

It's worth a further look, imo.  In short (in case you skip the lesson below and only get ONE THING from this)

Teddy believed: 

- Comfort breeds decay.
- Men should embrace hardship, sweat and sacrifice.
- And struggle forges character. 

I've got Teddy's way of living distilled down to 3 Life Principles and thought you might be interested:

1.  Movement Fuels Thinking

2.  The Power of Wilderness and Solitude

3.  The Strenuous Life 

Grab another cup of coffee and let's dig in... 

Life Principle #1: Movement Fuels Thinking:  

“It is only through labor and painful effort, by grim energy and resolute courage, that we move on to better things.”

Do you think Teddy would be spending a lot of time in meetings, boardrooms or at a desk?   

I'd so no; he didn’t confine himself to the desk.  He set up a boxing ring inside the White House, sparring so fiercely he once blinded himself in one eye — and then kept going (moving on to martial arts training like jiu-jitsu).  Teddy knew movement wasn't a luxury; it was vital to thinking, leading, and living at full tilt.

Modern application for us TODAY: 

1. Move before you meet.  (or during)

Meetings are often out of your control.  But how you show up to them isn't. 

Before your next big meeting, presentation, or decision-making session, physically move your body — even just a brisk walk, quick workout, or go channel your inner Teddy and hit a heavy bag session.

Why: Movement increases blood flow, sharpens focus, and helps break mental inertia, leading to clearer thinking and bolder decision-making (Roosevelt knew it instinctively; neuroscience backs it now).

How you can implement:
Block 10–15 minutes before critical meetings for fast, intentional movement.
Treat it as "priming the mind through the body" — a non-negotiable like showing up on time.

2. Create a Personal "Arena" Routine
I'm sure you've heard of Teddy's "Man in the Arena" quote.  This tactic is a shout out to that quote.

 Design a weekly practice that pulls you out of comfort and into controlled struggle — whether it’s boxing, jiu-jitsu, trail running, rucking, or even cold exposure.

Why: Regularly choosing discomfort resets your baseline for risk, effort, and leadership resilience (just like Roosevelt’s boxing sharpened his will).

How you can implement:
Schedule one “arena session” per week — something physically and mentally demanding.

Tie it mentally to whatever your big rock is at the moment, for example:

"If I can endure this, I can endure scaling my business."

"If I can endure this, I can endure the suck of letting go of that underperforming sales person."

Life Principle #2: The Power of Wilderness and Solitude:
“There is delight in the hardy life of the open.”

Teddy didn't have modern day distractions like we do now (social media, email, Slack, etc.)  But if he did, do you think he would recharge by scrolling that stuff?  

Even without that, distractions were constantly knocking on his door.  When life pushed in on him - grief, fatigue, public pressure - he pushed back by heading out.  Whether it was the Badlands of North Dakota or the forests of the Adirondacks, Roosevelt sought the wild not to escape responsibility, but to refine himself within it.  The wilderness wasn’t leisure; it was clarity, conviction, and a mirror to the soul.

Modern application for us TODAY:
1. Schedule Solitude in Wild Places
You schedule meetings, workouts, and family events - so why not this?

Block off time each quarter to get into the woods, the mountains, or even a quiet trail.  No headphones.  No productivity apps. Just you, the wild, and what rises to the surface when the noise dies down.

Why: Solitude in nature strips away the distractions and ego.  It reconnects you to your values, resets your nervous system, and unlocks the kind of clarity you won’t find in a conference room.

How you can implement:
Put a half-day (or full day) in your calendar every 90 days for solitude in nature.
Treat it as non-negotiable executive strategy time - because it is.

2. Think Like a Rancher, Not a Reactor
Roosevelt ran cattle in the Badlands.  He knew the land.  He observed.  He planned seasons ahead.

You can do the same: instead of reacting to daily fires, use solitude to zoom out, recalibrate, and decide who you’re becoming - not just what you’re doing.

Why: Great strategy doesn’t come from inbox zero. It comes from stillness in big spaces.

How you can implement:
Bring a journal.  Ask better questions:

“What’s not sustainable in my life right now?”
“What story am I telling myself that needs to change?”
“If nothing changes, who will I become?”

Let wilderness shape your inner world - so you can shape the outer one.

Life Principle #3: The Strenuous Life

“A soft life is not worth living.”

Do you think Teddy ever looked for shortcuts, hacks, or how to 10x with less effort?
Not likely. Roosevelt believed the hard path was the worthy one — not because it was glamorous, but because it transformed the man walking it. He chose effort over ease, adversity over apathy, and responsibility over retreat. To him, the Strenuous Life wasn’t about grinding for the sake of grinding — it was about becoming someone forged in the fire of effort, grit, and deliberate struggle.

Modern application for us TODAY:

1. Don’t Avoid Hard — Choose It Every day, we’re faced with two options: take the hard path that builds us or the easy path that drains us.
The Strenuous Life starts by choosing hard on purpose — because you know what’s on the other side of it.

Why: Voluntarily doing hard things strengthens your resilience muscle, helps you meet adversity with poise, and builds trust in yourself — the kind of trust you can’t outsource or download.

How you can implement:

• Start each week by identifying one thing you’ve been avoiding — then attack it first.

• Practice the “hard first” rule: tackle the uncomfortable call, the honest conversation, or the difficult decision before noon every day.

2. Redefine Success Around Effort, Not Outcome Roosevelt didn’t measure a man by trophies or titles — but by how hard he was willing to try.

If you’re only proud when you win, you’ll burn out. But if you take pride in the pursuit — in showing up, sweating, and staying in the arena — you build a deeper kind of success that no loss can touch.

Why: Long-term impact comes from compounding grit, not occasional greatness.

How you can implement:

• Create a daily “Effort Ledger”: one line a day where you write down what you did that was hard, brave, or disciplined — regardless of the result.

• Use it to remind yourself: “I’m the kind of person who shows up, not just shows off.”