The Stockdale Paradox
Grounded and Hopeful
One of my favorite books of all times is the business book Good to Great by Jim Collins. On the surface it is a comparative study of companies in a variety of business sectors. He and his team selected two similar businesses in each sector with one a consistently stellar performer on the stock market for decades and the other just average. What where the differences between the leadership teams that ran these large organizations?
This is where the concept of what Collins dubbed The Stockdale Paradox came from. I will let him explain.
Certainly enjoy any victories you might find today — regardless your political opinions — but also learn the import of staying grounded. And understand your inner peace should not be attached to external events or even other human beings.
Like Admiral Stockdale, maintain clarity and resolve to live one day at a time.
This is also a good day to read the complete version of The Serenity Prayer.
God, grant me the Serenity
To accept the things I cannot change...
Courage to change the things I can,
And Wisdom to know the difference.Living one day at a time,
Enjoying one moment at a time,
Accepting hardship as the pathway to peace.
Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is,
Not as I would have it.
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His will.
That I may be reasonably happy in this life,
And supremely happy with Him forever in the next.
Amen.
