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WHAT WE CAN LEARN FROM ‘COMMON SENSE’ And How It Led to the Creation of the Constitution
T his month, 245 years ago, Thomas Paine wrote a pamphlet (more like a short book, really) called “Common Sense,” which included his argument about why the 13 British colonies that would go on to become the United State should separate from the British monarchy and forge a new, independent nation. Because of his written contributions to the American Revolution, Thomas Paine is considered to be one of the Founding Fathers of the United States.
there are several democratic principles inherent in our government systems.
Interesting to me, given the scope and reach of government today, Paine also believed government to be but “a necessary evil,” whose primary purpose should be limited to ensuring that everyone under its rule was afforded equal opportunities — or essentially, to make sure the strong didn’t take advantage of the weak.
While some of this may seem intuitively obvious now that we’ve lived under these principles for a few centuries, at the time of the American Revolution, it was decidedly not. Not everyone in the Colonies agreed that they
I recently had a chance to actually read “Common Sense” for the first time, and I have no idea why I
hadn’t read it sooner. I usually consider myself to be kind of a history buff, but I guess we’re always learning. Anyway, I’m glad to have finally read it, and I believe I gained some insight into our current political landscape having done so. My dad used to say “common sense isn’t so common,” which I guess may have been true even back during the time of the American Revolution, considering Thomas Paine had to spell out the reasons why they should secede from the British Empire. He wrote his pamphlet to be easily understood and distributed to the masses in the colonies. He wanted it to be something that could be read aloud in any tavern or meeting place in the colonies to create a discussion about the benefits of securing their independence at that particular moment in time. It should be noted that “Common Sense” is a hard read, for modern readers at least. I had to really concentrate to get through it, which makes me think that back then, most of the “common” people must have been very self-educated in order to grasp the ideas and concepts that Thomas Paine wrote about. It’s not an easy read. Paine first lays out all the reasons why living under the British monarchy was so bad, and why that type of government didn’t work for the then 13 colonies. He then goes on to lay out a system of government that is essentially what was later adopted by our founders, a constitutional republic— the system of governance used in the U.S. to this day. Folks who think our form of government is a democracy are incorrect, even though
should separate from the British empire. There were probably almost as many loyalists to the crown as there were revolutionaries. Similarly, after America had won its independence, not all the Founding Fathers agreed on the ways forward. For example, John Adams (the second president) disagreed with Thomas Paine’s proposal that men who didn’t own land should be able to vote. Adams felt that only landowners should be granted a vote. And that was far from the only disagreement that existed among the founding members of our country. Interestingly, most of the Founding Fathers agreed on one thing, however. They had a profound distrust of government, or maybe more accurately, they feared the power of government to over-reach into their personal lives and business affairs. Regardless of these differences of opinion, however, they went on to compromise and create the U.S. Constitution with the Bill of Rights, an incredible document with lasting relevance that I believe is divinely inspired. Though there have been many rifts between different factions of the American public (historically and to this day), we’ve always been able to work through them relatively peacefully, with one obvious exception. Our country, for all its imperfections, is still something incredibly impressive, and I have no doubt that we’ll be able to work through the issues that divide us yet again. But, unfortunately, it’s liable to be a messy process.
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BUSINESS BUDGETING FOR 2021 You Can Still Plan Around Unpredictability This is the time of year when businesses would usually be looking at their budget and planning for the coming year. But COVID-19 has made the future entirely unpredictable, which makes properly planning your budget difficult. But all is not lost — there are some basic budgeting tactics you can implement to face 2021 with confidence. Create a Forecast If you’re not entirely confident in your ability to forecast sales for 2021, you’re not alone. But you do still have options. If 2020 went great, perhaps try setting your sights up 10% from last year. If you want to play it safe, keep your forecast on par with 2020. If even that doesn’t feel reliable, then jump back to 2019 and use it as a base for creating your budget. You can ramp up 10% or 20% from there. Don’t just forecast this year blindly — use data from a point you can rely on and plan accordingly from there. KnowWhat to Include Your budget needs to have flexible sales goals and realistic expense plans this year. Many businesses are having to change their marketing focus and invest differently, so you have to be willing to adapt your budget too. As you set sales goals, be aware of your margins and get flexible with the way you’re achieving them if you want to improve them. Also take into account new expenses you may have in response to 2020, like staffing changes and Paycheck Protection Program loans. Take stock of what’s new and different for your business this year and include it in your budget plan. Remember the Essentials Even though last year was a wild ride, you can’t throw all your best practices out the window. Certain budget-forward thinking will always be essential, no matter where your business has landed. If sales are strong, drive profits while you can to build your reserves. Modify your products or services to align with customer behavior. Keep your accounts receivable clean. Don’t use credit cards to finance your business. Pay close attention to your balance sheet to keep a handle on debt. Cultivate an ongoing relationship with your banker. If you find a reliable baseline, are willing to be flexible and realistic, and if you can recalibrate your plans on the go, you can budget your way to a much better year.
At Risk Services of Arkansas, we’re in the business of making it easier for our clients to take the risks necessary to complete their projects. That said, risks can be more than just something to avoid or mitigate — they can also be opportunities to grow personally. Here are five risks that everyone should take, rather than avoid. Stand up for your beliefs. It’s easy to believe in something when everyone else agrees with you. However, when sticking to what you believe means disagreeing with everyone else in the room, it can be a lot harder. When you make your contrary voice heard, however, you have something much more important than approval — you have integrity. Face down your fears. Fear can be a motivator for bad decisions or a force that keeps us from making the right decisions. In either case, we often have to face our fears to accomplish our goals. That’s why instead of avoiding the things that scare us, the best course of action is to face them down. Follow your passion instead of a paycheck. Wanting to have enough money to provide for yourself and your family isn’t a bad thing, but if you base your entire career around making money, it will never lead to a fulfilling life. Find the things you’re passionate about and then find out how you can use those passions to provide for the people you love. Give to great causes. It may seem risky to give away some of the money that you feel like you worked really hard for. But, just on the other side of that risk is a lot of satisfaction that comes from giving to something bigger than yourself. Speak hard truths to loved ones. When you really love someone, you want what’s best for them — even if “what’s best for them” is contrary to what they believe is best for them. When you do have hard conversations with your loved ones though, always remember to do so with love and compassion instead of anger and pride.
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The Road Trip of a Lifetime
and just about every other kind of food the Bayou had to offer when they visited New Orleans.
After his wife and caretaker of 67 years passed away, 95-year-old WWII veteran Johnnie Dimas thought his only option would be to move into a nursing home. However, his grandson Roger and his grandson’s wife, Jo, had other plans. Rather than let his grandfather live in a home for however much of his life was left, Roger instead moved Johnnie out to Sedona, Arizona, to live with him. About a year later, Roger decided that he wanted to go a step further in helping his grandfather by taking him on a road trip across the country to see as many places on Johnnie’s bucket list as possible. Roger and Jo got a motorhome for the occasion and dubbed it the Sweet Mary Bus after Johnnie’s late wife. Then, they set out meandering east, hitting as many stops as they could along the way. Some of Johnnie’s favorite destinations turned out to be Tombstone, El Paso, and Waco (where Johnnie was born and raised). Some of the trio’s most memorable adventures included an encounter with a camel at a farm near the Mexican border, which thrilled Johnnie, as well as eating crawfish, alligator,
More memorable moments occurred when Roger and Jo took Johnnie to WWII museums around the country, where he was often given a hero’s welcome. At one museum, a young lady who helped run the place even gave him a free tour and a T-shirt. He also got a mug that read “To Hell with Hitler,” which amused Johnnie to no end. After the trip was done, they headed back to Sedona. Then, just under a year later, Johnnie passed away at the age of 96. Roger and Jo had been planning a trip to visit Graceland with him, since Elvis was one of the veteran’s biggest idols. Johnnie actually died on the exact same day that Elvis had 43 years earlier, which Roger said would have tickled Johnnie. Being a 24/7 caregiver certainly isn’t easy. But when you spend your time making memories with elderly loved ones, the experience is nothing short of rewarding.
Have a Laugh!
Easy way out on Pg. 4
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INSIDE This Issue What We Can Learn From ‘Common Sense’ page 1
Business Budgeting for 2021
5 Risks Worth Taking page 2
Some Good News
Take a Break page 3
4 Books You Should Read to Lead page 4
Be a Better Leader
4 Leadership Books You Need to Read
‘Unleashed: The Unapologetic Leader’s Guide to Empowering Everyone Around You’ by Frances Frei and Anne Morriss Frei is one of the world’s foremost authorities on leadership. In her new book, she’s teamed up with Anne Morriss, a leader in the genomics industry. The book teaches leaders how to empower others. Great leadership takes grit, thick skin, and compassion, and “Unleashed” offers advice from top-performing organizations on how to best achieve all three. ‘Personality Isn’t Permanent: Break Free From Self-Limiting Beliefs and Rewrite Your Story’ by Benjamin Hardy Organizational psychologist Benjamin Hardy makes a fascinating argument for why your current personality isn’t the one that’s most important. His new book pushes readers to
consider who they want their future self to be, and his ideas aren’t theoretical — they’re full
For leaders at all levels in all types of business, 2020 was a tough year. Those businesses that managed to not only survive but also thrive all have one big factor in common: good leadership. If you want to be a better leader for your team in 2021, here are the latest leadership books you should add to your reading list. ‘Friday Forward: Inspiration and Motivation to End Your Week Stronger Than It Started’ by Robert Glazer Glazer is an entrepreneur and bestselling author who has taken 52 of the most impactful stories from his inspirational newsletter that goes out to more than 100,000 readers and put them in one convenient book. These stories of struggling entrepreneurs who turned things around can give you the push you need to make an impact in your own circles and end your work weeks stronger than they started.
of proven ways to change your priorities, break habits, and use your environment to make you a better version of yourself. ‘Honest to Greatness: How Today’s Greatest Leaders Use Brutal Honesty to Achieve Massive Success’ by Peter Kozodoy The turmoil of 2020 has pushed brands to reconsider how they appeal to their customers. Many are walking away from deceitful promises and aiming for radical honesty and authenticity, instead. In his new book, Kozodoy examines how this revolution came to be and why it’s working. His guide teaches leaders how they can embrace these qualities to make their businesses better.
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