One of my favorite quotes of all time is by Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR), the indomitable and wise US president who led us out of the Great Depression and set us up for victory against Nazi Germany.
Touring his presidential library a few years ago, I saw a small tablet that can be placed on a desk that read: “Above all, try something.” ~ FDR. I had to stare at it for a while. Above all? I wondered, this is the best wisdom from one of our greatest presidents? It seemed too simple, and yet I couldn’t walk away.
I bought the tablet, and over time I’ve come to understand the genius of these four words. In life, we often don’t know what to do. Even multiple times a day as leaders, we may not know what to do. Sometimes we get depressed, we freeze, or we flounder. When we find ourselves here, what should we do? The answer FDR relayed is don’t stay still. Do something. Try something. Take a risk.
Recently, I’ve given thought to an amendment to FDR’s wise statement: …if you are willing to change course. In other words, FDR’s advice to try again and again and again only works if you are willing to change course, if you are willing to stop what you’ve been doing once it is no longer working.
This prerequisite to adjust, change, correct, or stop is key. Otherwise we would continue starting new things, some good, some not so good, without exercising the courage to quickly stop what is not working. This leads to disaster. While trying something new and taking a risk is a skill we must have as leaders, garnering the courage to stop a pattern or routine when it no longer serves us is equally important.
We must break our commitment to a particular method when we see it’s no longer working for us. It’s a risky move because from the outside change can seem flaky to onlookers. So we must find the courage to trust our conviction and act.
As Christ followers, we must allow space for the Holy Spirit to guide us. When our devotional life is healthy, we will know how to listen to Him. Try something, and stop something when needed. It’s in line with God’s command to be good stewards of what He has entrusted to us, and it’s what good managers do.
