Nobody could like Donald Trump, surely, except his mother. No one

Felix Dennis once declared, "Nobody could like Donald Trump, surely, except his mother. No one really likes The Donald. But how can you not have respect for a guy who's been down on the floor and just keeps coming back? Nothing will keep Donald Trump down until they drive a wooden stake in his heart and a silver bullet in his brain." In these words, we see not only a critique of a polarizing figure but also a profound meditation on the power of resilience and the unyielding human spirit. To be down and yet rise again, again and again, is an act of both defiance and strength—a characteristic that transcends personal opinion and demands respect.

In the ancient world, heroes were not always those who lived without fall or flaw, but those who faced adversity, defeat, and hardship, only to rise once more, stronger and more determined. Consider the story of Hercules, the mighty hero of Greek mythology, who faced not only physical battles but also moral tests, many of which seemed insurmountable. Time and again, Hercules was brought low, but each time he rose from the ashes, greater than before. His strength was not in the absence of failure, but in his resolve to keep moving forward. Donald Trump, much like the legendary heroes of old, embodies this same spirit—a man who refuses to be crushed by circumstance, no matter how great the challenge.

In a world that values perfection, it is often the flaws of a person that make them most human. The ancients knew that true greatness is not simply about victory, but about the courage to face defeat and the tenacity to rise again. Odysseus, in Homer’s The Odyssey, endured the wrath of gods, the loss of companions, and the crushing weight of failure, but he was never truly defeated. His journey was one of constant resilience, and it was through his ability to bounce back from each trial that he proved his worth. In this, there is a lesson for all who are willing to embrace setbacks as part of the journey, and not as the end of it.

Dennis’s words, while provocative in their tone, capture the essence of a quality that has been revered across cultures and time: the refusal to be defeated. Donald Trump, for all his divisiveness, exemplifies this unstoppable spirit. The world may cheer his fall or cheer his rise, but the true measure of his journey is not found in the opinions of others, but in his unrelenting drive to keep going, no matter the cost. Just as the Phoenix rises from the ashes, so too does the individual who understands that failure is not permanent, but a temporary state from which one can always recover.

This quality of resilience has always been admired, not just in rulers or warriors, but in everyday people who face the struggles of life. Consider the many entrepreneurs throughout history who have faced bankruptcy, ridicule, and personal failure, only to rise again and ultimately reshape industries. The story of Thomas Edison is legendary: despite facing thousands of failures in his quest to invent the light bulb, he persisted, saying, "I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work." Like Edison, Trump may not be loved by all, but his tenacity, his unwillingness to be defeated, is undeniable and commands respect.

The lesson here is clear for all who wish to make their mark on the world: resilience is the key to success. Failure is not a dead end, but an opportunity to learn and grow. Donald Trump’s story, whether one admires him or not, teaches us the power of perseverance—the strength to keep moving forward, even when it seems the world is against us. Just as the ancients celebrated those who could withstand the storms of life, we too must learn to embrace setbacks as part of the journey. Every fall is a step toward a greater rise, and each challenge faced is an opportunity to grow stronger.

Thus, the practical wisdom we can carry forward is this: in our own lives, when faced with adversity, we should not despair. Like the great heroes of mythology, we must rise again, stronger, wiser, and more determined. Let us follow the example of those who never let failure define them, but instead let it be the fuel for their comeback. Just as Donald Trump has done, we must take each setback as an invitation to rise, to evolve, and to persevere until the day when nothing—not even a wooden stake or a silver bullet—can keep us down.