(Founding) Fatherly Advice

Every July 4th, we celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence by a group of men who truly went ‘all in’ in gambling their future and the future of its people by breaking away from one of the most powerful Countries in the world in the hopes of a better (and fairer) future. So what advice would these ‘Founding Fathers’ give us today about what is required to make serious change?

Firstly, be courageous. No matter how difficult the decision, if you believe in something, go for it. Do whatever you have to do. They knew the Colonists needed their own Country, They knew it was unprecedented; they knew their opponent was much stronger than they; they understood the military, financial and diplomatic difficulties of what they were undertaking, but they did it anyway. In signing the Declaration of independence, they knew they were signing their own death warrant, but signed anyway. The lesson? If you believe in what you’re doing, stick to it. If you don’t believe in what you’re doing with enough conviction to stick to it when things get tough, change what you believe in.

Secondly, don’t be afraid to learn on the job. George Washington may not have been a born military leader but he was a fantastic student who learned quickly under incredible pressure.He realized that his troops were much more mobile than their British opponents and used that to his advantage. He knew that he didn’t have the resources to overpower his opponents but used courage and creativity to outthink them.

Finally, teamwork. The founding fathers were one of the most cohesive teams you could ever meet. Washington possessed such amazing leadership skills that he was able to keep a ragtag army together, under the most extreme conditions. Thomas Jefferson had the intellect and writing skills that would create the Declaration of Independence. John Adams had the political skills to push through the Continental Congress, secure financing from the Dutch and then negotiate a peace treaty with the British. John Jay, Alexander Hamilton and James Madison would help build the structure of the new Government and Hamilton would largely create the U.S. economy that has been admired for its longevity and stability ever since.