We Hold These Truths
By: David Freund, Chief Leadership Officer
Today is July 4th, Independence Day. Have you thought about the impact of that day 242 years ago, when 56 men signed their death warrant by declaring independence from Great Britain?
Perhaps the most known portion on the document are these words: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
This statement has stood as a guiding principle, a purpose, or as Simon Sinek says, a “WHY” for our country ever since. Men and women have fought and died for this dream, this concept, this WHY since the day it was penned. A WHY that clearly explains to all who read it that “All men [and women] are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable [cannot be taken away or denied] rights.” What could have caused these 56 men to affix their signatures to a document with full knowledge that not only their lives, but the lives their families, and family fortunes were potentially at risk? It was the words that preceded the statement we all know. Namely, “We hold these truths to be self-evident [sacred and undeniable].”
When a person gets to a point where they understand the guiding principles by which they need to lead their life, the tough decisions become easier to make. We discover our WHY when we learn WHO we are. When we act in concert with our WHY, we can live a life of significance. Look at the significance the 56 signatories of the Declaration of Independence had. Imagine what the world would be like if they hadn’t declared their independence from Great Britain. Imagine a world without the United States of America. What is waiting for you around the next turn? Do you know your WHY?
Join Marisa and me on The Next Page podcast as we discuss the process I used to discover my Why and what it taught me.
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