This Too Shall Pass

Leadership (and Life) Lessons from Last Saturday's Graduation

This past weekend I was privileged to attend West Point’s graduation ceremony. And, by virtue of luck and position, I was also fortunate enough to have a seat on the stage during the ceremony. I spent almost two hours looking into the faces of our new graduates – reading their intentions and emotions.

For me – it was an unexpectedly emotional day.

I couldn’t help but to feel incredibly proud of our Cadets. They are such great young people. And, I couldn’t help but to share in their sense of accomplishment and growth. The United States Military Academy is a tough school. We build leaders of character for our Army. We graduate 18% of the Army’s new officers every year; it’s a mission we take very seriously. In practice, we require our Cadets to do things that are simply beyond the curricular requirements of other colleges and universities. The sense of accomplished relief across the graduating class is palpable.

And, I couldn’t help but to feel a sense of anxious worry – like a parent. The future is uncertain, and the likelihood of conflict in the next 20 years is high. We’ve done our best to give them the foundational tools; but will it be enough? When their moment comes, will they be ready? It’s a lot to think about.

The commencement speaker this year was the Secretary of War, the Honorable Pete Hegseth. For me, personally, one of the Secretary’s most impactful comments came late in the speech. It was a precise and well-placed comment that I’m not sure many people in the audience caught. Within the context of the day’s emotion, it’s worth unpacking.

The Secretary reflected, “This too shall pass.” He went on to make the point that all things in life, including the emotional high of graduating from West Point, are temporary. Indeed, ours is the Profession of Arms. Our job is to Win the Nation’s Wars. No matter what the future holds, there are challenging days ahead.

This too shall pass. Though the quote sounds liturgical, it isn’t. Depending on where you look and what you read, the original quote extends back to either a medieval Persian Proverb, این نیز بگذرد, or an ancient Hebrew folktale about King Solomon, גם זה יעבור. Probably both.

Success and joy, hardship and grief – nothing lasts forever. The simple phrase, “This too shall pass,” encourages humility while enjoying life’s highs, and a resiliency while suffering through life’s lows.

Despite its ancient traditions, it was American Presidential Candidate Abraham Lincoln who ushered the phrase into our modern lexicon. The year was 1859, Lincoln was making a speech before the Wisconsin State Agricultural Society, we were on the verge of a Civil War. Lincoln said,

“It is said an Eastern monarch once charged his wise men to invent him a sentence, to be ever in view, and which should be true and appropriate in all times and situations. They presented him the words: ‘And this, too, shall pass away.’

How much it expresses! How chastening in the hour of pride! How consoling in the depths of affliction! ‘And this, too, shall pass away.’”

Context matters. Lincoln’s speech was an argument against the “mud-sill” theory of class segregation. (As an aside, the “mud-sill” theory holds that some people are simply better suited for manual labor; it was a theory constructed that promoted rigid classism and was used to justify slavery). When Lincoln said “this, too, shall pass away,” he was arguing against the permanence of class structure – and slavery. Human conditions change. Nations change. People change. The history is fascinating.

Today, “this too shall pass” reminds us that all experiences — good and bad — are temporary. If you are having a great day, like graduation, enjoy it. It’s going to end. If you are having a bad day, don’t let it get you down…tomorrow is a new day.

In many ways, this is a perfect message for our new graduates. Their future, while unknown, will certainly be challenging. For some, the challenge may be as simple as the hunger and sleep deprivation in Ranger School. For others, the challenge may include unexpected, unexpectedly long, and iterative deployments.

The message is also pretty perfect for the nearly 3,000 Cadets who observed Saturday’s graduation. They sat in the bleachers at Michie Stadium, 50 degrees, pouring rain. This too shall pass. They are working their way through a relentless curriculum that blends academics and physical requirements in an environment of strict military discipline. This too shall pass.

Last Saturday’s commencement has me thinking quite a bit about the book Perseverance > Endurance. Written by former Ranger Brandon Young and former Green Beret Blayne Smith, the authors artfully use their military experience as a platform to talk about leading (and growing) through challenge and uncertainty. They write, “Nothing lasts forever. Moments of acute hardship will come, and they will go.”

They go on to describe the daily struggle that lies within each Ranger Student. When the sun is up, Ranger School is tolerable. But most of the learning in Ranger School happens at night, long after sunset. Night after night of simulated small unit attacks, raids, and ambushes. It’s stressful, grueling and just plain miserable. And, the nights are most uncomfortable just before dawn. Darkest, coldest, wettest. Just before dawn, that’s when people quit.

The authors go on to write, “You never quit Ranger School at night. You wait for the light of a new day…” Things will look different in the morning. And, no matter what, the sun will rise. And, when the sun comes up, things will be better.

Maybe that’s the point.

No matter how good you think things are – be patient – they are going to change.

And, no matter how bad you think things are – be patient – they are going to change.

This too shall pass.

The West Point Class of 2026 has graduated. Social media is abuzz with their family’s love and adoration. We are so proud of them. And hopeful. If one thing is for certain it’s this – the future will be different than the present. Tomorrow will be different than today. We can’t even begin to imagine the challenges. We’re going to need great leaders.