Dragon Energy

You don't have to agree with Trump but the mob can't make me not love him. We are both dragon energy.

-Kanye West

Some historical figures I can relate to, while others baffle me. 

Their tenacity, their persistence in the face of all odds. Even when the world is against them, and they’ve become social pariahs. They keep going. Not timidly. With full force. With dragon energy.

Think of someone who blames the world for all their faults. Someone who is a victim to all their surroundings. Now, think of the exact opposite of that person. They deal with worse circumstances yet power through. They reframe their obstacles to achieve post traumatic growth.

Howard Hughes, Ben Franklin, Hitler, Alexander the Great, Napoleon, Teddy Roosevelt, Margaret Thatcher, Winston Churchill, Julius Caesar, Timur, and Genghis Khan all had dragon energy.

When Teddy Roosevelt was assistant secretary to the navy, he worked tirelessly. When the secretary to the navy became ill, Teddy Roosevelt was the acting secretary to the navy for an afternoon. In those few hours, he made declarations to Congress and sent out hundreds of orders to stock up on coal, commission new ships, and mobilize the navy in war exercises. He completely reshaped the navy, preparing it for battle with Spain, which he thought was imminent. By the time the Secretary to the Navy recovered and came back to work the next day, he couldn’t stop the plans already put in place by Teddy Roosevelt. He could have, but he didn’t bother because the amount of work it would entail to stop Teddy’s orders was too much. He was upset with what Teddy did, but he didn’t have the drive to reverse all the orders. Teddy’s life was event after event like this. The books Teddy authored were so detailed and reference rich that critics thought it impossible for one man to write by himself… they were wrong.

Many important, lesser known figures in history possessed dragon energy. Alexander Hamilton was relentless with his rise to the top. Writing letters and treatises incessantly. Hamilton the musical was relatable to many entrepreneurs as they aspire to be like Hamilton and are inspired by his work ethic.

William Adams was the first Englishman in Japan. Adams stopped his men from mutiny and committing suicide. Of his five ships, one remained and 23 of 500+ crewmen survived with only 9 strong enough to stand. Adams was in the group still standing. After arriving in Japan, Adams made powerful allies, helped kick out the Catholics, became a samurai, and opened up trading with the Dutch East India Company.

Dragon energy is persistence and resilience taken to the nth degree. Those with dragon energy can’t stop, and they can’t be stopped. It’s in their DNA to keep pushing for more. I know a number of people with dragon energy. It’s inspiring. It’s contagious. 

Yet having dragon energy doesn’t make one good or bad. It correlates strongly with having an outsized impact on society. Brilliance doesn’t give you dragon energy. I know someone, let’s call him Steve. As a joke, Peter Thiel used to say “You’re lucky if you can get Steve to work for you.” It’s because Steve is a genius, and Steve is lazy. Steve has gifts beyond almost anyone, but Steve has the opposite of dragon energy.

There are those who lose their dragon energy. Sometimes it’s a mental snap Howard Hughes style, and other times it simply wears off. Domestication does this to some. Their life priorities shift from wanting to build to wanting to nurture the next generation.

Dragon energy by itself can make a successful agent or broker in entertainment, real estate, or Wall Street. If you’re in Japan, maybe you’ll be a top male gigolo. Dragon energy combined with talent makes leading actors, models, and sports stars. Dragon energy combined with intelligence can make a dent in the universe.

Dragon energy isn’t necessary to create an outsized impact, but it correlates stronger than any other characteristic. Surround yourself with those who possess dragon energy. It makes life more interesting.