Photo by Library of Congress / Unsplash

People look at him in one dimension. Trying to understand at all costs is a fallacy of people and not him. We want to understand, and that need to understand creates a need for us to focus on modelling people(or things) as simply as we can.

In the process of this modelling, we remove essential aspects that would  help us grow and learn from others. Do not make that mistake with Grant.

We all know of him as a famous general who helped win the civil war for the union, but he was more. He had his struggles with alcohol, money, people and many others. He was very sharp but also had his weaknesses.

Reading this book has given me not just a greater appreciation of him but also of Lincoln, who dared to select a person based on his ability to the job.

Grants life reminds me of the struggles we all go through as well as the ability we all have to make a massive change in the world regardless of where we start in life. We all have our demons, but those demons need not limit us from helping the planet.

He did not wait to be perfect before trying to make his mark. He tried every day and took one step at a time. He had struggles and fell many times, but he kept going and eventually won(in life, war, politics, etc.).