Hey 👋🏼

Napoleon was born under a comet. This is literally true. It’s one of those facts that make you question if this is all a simulation after all.

Part of Napoleon’s success came from his unparalleled self-belief. Part of that self-belief came from evidence that he was an unusually gifted general and leader. Part of it came from his belief in destiny.

Napoleon is one of the most faithful people I have ever read about. Except he didn’t believe in God, or the gods, or religion (he was nominally Catholic but made little effort to conceal his atheism), but in destiny.

This faith led him to grandiose ambitions. It led him to establish the greatest European empire perhaps ever. It also led to hubris, and ultimately to his downfall.

I think we can learn something from that belief, even if we don't want to go as far with it as Napoleon did.

Here are five of my favorite quotes of his that demonstrate that unparalleled self-belief:

Napoleon and Destiny in Five Quotes

“Is there a man so blind as not to see that destiny itself guides all my operations? Is there anyone so faithless as to doubt that everything in this vast universe is bound to the empire of destiny?”

“It is as well you should know that all human efforts against me are useless for all I undertake must succeed those who declare themselves my allies prosper - those who oppose me perish.”

[After the battle of Lodi] “I no longer regarded myself as a simple general but as a man called upon to decide the fate of peoples. It came to me then that I really could become a decisive actor on our national stage. At that point was born the first spark of high ambition.”

[Regarding criticisms of his habit of giving out medals and honors after victories] “You tell me that class distinctions are baubles used by monarchs, I defy you to show me a republic, ancient or modern, in which distinctions have not existed. You call these medals and ribbons baubles; well, it is with such baubles that men are led.”

“Destiny urges me to a goal of which I am ignorant. Until that goal is attained I am invulnerable, unassailable.”

If you haven’t listened to the latest episode (it came out today) you can give it a listen here (or wherever you get your podcasts).

Thanks for reading. Napoleon Part 2 drops tomorrow. I hope you enjoy it.