THINKER'S ALMANAC - September 7

What 21 motivational words, written over 2,500 years ago by a Greek historian, are etched in granite on the facade of a New York City office building?

Subject:  Philosophical Mottos - Words Chiseled in Granite

Event:  New York City’s main post office opens, 1914

The main post office building in New York City opened its doors on September 7, 1914.  The building’s main claim to fame is the inscription chiseled in gray granite on its enormous façade, which reads:

Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.

 

Although many will recognize these words as the motto of the United States Postal Service, officials are quick to point out that there is no official U.S.P.S. motto.  Nevertheless, it would be difficult to find another building in the world that more effectively uses the words engraved on its outside walls to capture and to motivate the mission that is fulfilled inside.

The words of the inscription originate from the Greek historian Herodotus and refer to Persian mounted postal couriers who served faithfully in the wars between the Greeks and the Persians (500-449 B.C.) (1).

Image by Vicki Hamilton from Pixabay

When you think of mottos, think of “motivation.”  Mottos are intended to prime the populace for positive action.  A motto is a phrase or sentence that sums up the motivation, purpose, or guiding principles of a group, organization, or institution.  Whether a family motto, state motto, or company motto, they are always clear, concise, and constructive. It’s appropriate to think of a motto as something you might chisel in stone because unlike slogans, which are usually spoken, mottos are written, such as the state mottos you see on license plates or a national motto you see on coins or paper money (The official motto of the United States is “In God We Trust.”).  Because mottos date back to ancient times, you will often see them written in other languages, such as the motto of the United States Marine Corps, the Latin Semper Fidelis (“Always Faithful”).

Educational institutions have a long tradition of using mottos to motivate and unify their student bodies toward a common goal.  The following are some examples:

-University of Rhode Island:  Think big.  We do.

-Florida State University:  Vires, artes, ormes  (Strength, Skill, Character)

-James Madison University:  Knowledge is liberty.

-Central Washington University:  Docendo Discimus (By Teaching, We Learn)

-Montclair State University:  Carpe diem  = Seize The Day

-University of North Carolina at Wilmington: Discere Aude = Dare To Learn

-University of Oregon:  Mens agitat molem = Minds Move Mountains

-Evergreen State College:  Omnia Extares = “Let It All Hang Out.”

-Antioch College: Be Ashamed to Die Until You Have Won Some Victory for Humanity

Just as states, companies, or schools employ mottos to focus their mission, you might also develop your own personal, motivational motto.  Think, for example, of the great philosophers who, although they are long dead, remain alive because of the ideas they captured so eloquently in words:

-Socrates:  “The unexamined life is not worth living.”

-Aristotle:  “We are what we repeatedly do.  Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”

-Descartes  “I think, therefore, I am.”

-Francis Bacon:  “Knowledge is power.”

-Yoda: “Do or do not.  There is no try.”

Recall, Retrieve, Recite, Ruminate, Reflect, Reason:  What is the difference, with examples, between a credo and a motto?

Challenge - My Motto:  Craft your own personal motto by taking inventory of your core values and your major life goals.  Remember, think of something that is powerfully and positively stated -- something profound enough to be etched into granite or tattooed on your arm.  Make it memorable by being concise, and also consider the tried and true rhetorical tricks for making something easy to remember:  alliteration, rhyme, parallelism, tricolon, anaphora, or antithesis.

Also, don’t forget about the motivational element.  It should be something that you can turn to again and again -- in times of chaos, confusion, or self-doubt.  Look for the kind of inspirational words that will remind you who you are and where you want to go, the kind of words that will serve as a compass to point you back in the right direction (2).

Also on This Day:

September 7, 1979:  The all-sports network ESPN is launched with its first show:  SportsCenter.

Sources:

1- U.S.P.S. Postal Service Mission and Motto. Oct. 1999.

2-Fagan, Abigail. “9 Reasons You Need a Personal Motto.” Psychology Today 21 Aug. 2015.