Resolved: no matter what happens in 2017, I will keep going.
Everything else is just details.
Winston Churchill will forever be remembered as England’s greatest prime minister, not because of his brilliant military strategies or political skill, but because when hopeless circumstances and fearful friends advised England to surrender, Churchill stood firm.
“Never give in; never give in; never, never, never…!” he growled to war-torn citizenry desperately in need of hopeful leadership.
When I peer over the horizon that is 2017 and beyond, I admit I don’t love what I see. As of this writing, our political situation is crazy. Our national debt is too high. Our economy is lethargic. And somehow we’ve convinced ourselves that the cure to excessive levels of government debt is to spend even more money we do not have.
And yet, I am hopeful. Very hopeful.
I am hopeful because we’ve done this before. Taken a beating. Not given in. Overcome huge obstacles. Won.
It is the nature of things that most obstacles come into focus sooner than their solutions. This reality gives us both fodder for worry and motivation to work for a solution. And solutions generally are not found on the first try.
Ever used WD-40? The WD stands for “water displacement.” The “40” means the first 39 tries failed…next time you apply some to a squeaky door, thank the makers they didn’t give up.
James Dyson supposedly failed with over 5,000 prototypes before perfecting his now famous Dyson brand vacuum cleaner.
Need some encouragement on a larger scale this season? Rent the Spielberg movie Lincoln. You know the story. Or rent the lessor known movie The Crossing, about Washington’s Christmas crossing of the Delaware River. You probably don’t know that story – had Washington and the 2,000 troops he had left not prevailed that freezing Christmas, the American Revolution might have turned out differently.
When free people freely trade in free markets, they find their highest good is achieved when they help others achieve theirs.
This simple and elegant golden rule of economics must be rediscovered by each generation. And it seems it inevitably slips from our clumsy grasp just when we seem to have a firm grasp on it. Eager for more golden eggs, we plunge a knife into the economic goose and act surprised when the egg production goes down a bit.
For some, the future seems very bright. For others, these days may feel a bit dark. But this is no time to give up.
Whatever comes at you in 2017, never give in. Never, never, never.
