We shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender.
WINSTON CHURCHILL
When is something worth fighting for to the death?
I suppose the answer to this would start with a definition of “death.” Death could be the death of the individual or it could be the death of an institution, corporation, government or political ideology.
At some point, certain categories escalate themselves all the way up to that magnitude.
Ask any parent, whether under the most horrific of circumstances, they would be willing to fight to the death, to keep their children alive, and I would be willing to bet that a majority of parents would unquestionably answer yes.
In business, it is slightly different, but the stakes are almost equally intense. If you are in business, and you facing a potential loss of everything that you have worked for, Winston Churchill‘s epic speech could not be more poignant. You recognize that you have put every last ounce of energy into accomplishing something of magnitude and you are looking at every last possible opportunity to ensure its success.
Churchill was a renowned depressive individual who had to summon all of the last courage he and his country could muster in order to defeat Adolf Hitler and the Nazis. In his epic call to action, he precisely crafted the perfect speech, such that anyone who heard, recognized the massive tenacity and determination behind it.
If you find yourself in a down moment with your personal life or your professional life, I would invite you to take a few moments to really contemplate the position this man was in when he delivered the speech, and dig deep within and recognize that you might find a greater dose of courage than you might have originally expected you held within.
General George S. Patton summarized it best… “Courage is fear holding on a minute longer. If we take the generally accepted definition of bravery as a quality which knows no fear, I have never seen a brave man. All men are frightened. The more intelligent they are, the more they are frightened. The time to take counsel of your fears is before you make an important battle decision. That’s the time to listen to every fear you can imagine! When you have collected all the facts and fears and made your decision, turn off all your fears and go ahead!”
Balance this with a more zen perspective from Thich Nhat Hanh, “Fear keeps us focused on the past or worried about the future. If we can acknowledge our fear, we can realize that right now we are okay. Right now, today, we are still alive, and our bodies are working marvelously. Our eyes can still see the beautiful sky. Our ears can still hear the voices of our loved ones.”
Happy Friday!
