But the original -- St. Crispin's Day from Henry V, posted a couple of days ago -- is all about fame, history and death. "Staying in the moment" is a much more contemporary idea.

"Staying in the moment" is contemporary phrasing, but the Crispin Day speech (my all time face frenzy whipping, FWIW) is still about the same basic notion I was describing: the idea that THIS impending specific moment in time is what matters.

Old men forget: yet all shall be forgot,
But he'll remember with advantages
What feats he did that day....

IOW, "this is the one moment which matters most."

In that Crispin's Day scene we see doubt creeping through the force, and Harry's speech forces the to seize upon the notion that they have a singular opportunity to create history, to do something impossible and amazing and worthy of legend.

yes, Harry talks of history and fame and story and rememberance, but how does he end it-- by again referring to the impending battle:

And gentlemen in England now a-bed
Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day.

Hell, he does everything but tell them to circle up and count it down-- 1-2-3 TEAM!

I mean, IMHO, etc etc. ;-)
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an observant soul named Brett (ppfftt!)

Hey, Brett, glad you found this thread. I thought your insight was a really good one, something definitely for writers to consider when facing the challenge of writing their own pre-battle speech. Thanks for that!