Article by:
Dr. Gerald D. Curry
I can remember memorizing the poem “If” by Rudyard Kipling when I was in Junior High School. I was so impressed by the words of the poem because it offered me a mindset to deal with what seemed like overwhelming life circumstances. Naturally, as I reflect on those things now, they were truly minor issues, but at the time, they were monumental! The poem started very simple, using words that I could relate to, and even today, I still refer to this poem today as my go-to reference when things are a bit chaotic in my life.
The poem started out very calmly, and then ended with a crescendo, or high note. For the sake of space, I’m not going to display the entire poem, only the first and last stanza.
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:
The first stanza suggest you keep your head on straight when things are getting a bit crazy.
When you look around and conclude there is a lot going on in the world today, most would conclude that was an understatement! We have two wars ongoing in the Ukraine and Israel, operating with a divided House of Representative, a pending government shutdown, books written by black and brown people being banned in this country, abortion laws being overthrown, and strikes becoming the most expeditious way of protesting, and most political leaders are dishonest, too old to lead, or being accused of committing a crime. Many would conclude the world is going to hell, without any real sense of redemption or circumspection of history or where we’ve come as a nation.
I will agree there is a lot going on, and we are overwhelmed and inundated with current news reports. There is never a time to simply relax and just take things in, but we’re always reacting to the current news. I’m of the belief that we should set expectations, and when those expectations are not met, we must immediately reexamine our situation and ask yourself a very critical question, “am I in proper alignment with my intent?” Then establish a path forward and begin your journey forward in the direction of your dreams.
There’s never enough time to ensure you have things 100% right, but what can be confirmed is the opportunity to deepen conversations about the need for real leadership in your life. I strongly believe every endeavor should have two things, integrity, and transparency. This strategy is legendary and fits everyone’s life and situation. The lifestyle we select will either reward us or destroy us. There is no in-between, and we must be conscious of the importance of our decisions. Many times, we admire our icons, without fully understanding the sacrifices they made to obtain the status they hold. We should never judge a book by its cover, but by the content of its pages and the value it contributes each day.
I love the final stanza of this poem because it ends on a high note. If you are searching for success and chaos abounds, then learn this poem and embody the positive contrast it offers.
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!
There is typically one right decision, and several wrong decisions. I like to make good decisions, which are based on three criteria, and that is every decision must be meaningful, substantive, and enduring. If the decision cannot meet these three objectives, then in my opinion you should reevaluate the criteria, and possibly abandon the project.
This only means you must know where you are going and have a clear vision for what you are desiring, then once this is known, you must create a world that challenges you to achieve higher than you can even imagine. When the life we live does not elevate us to reach our true potential, we need to recognize better is waiting. Stop worrying about the chaos in life and look to the opportunity. Keep your head when all about you are losing theirs.