“The noblest question in the world is: What good may I do in it?” — Ben Franklin
I am not sure we wake up in the morning and say, “What good can I do for the world today?” I certainly don’t. I’m usually hoping someone doesn’t talk to me until I at least get a cup of coffee. My morning routine historically since I retired from the military has been up between 5:30 and 6:00 AM, hit the bathroom, put on my workout gear and for the past 30 plus years drive the hour plus to DC or beyond to the gym for my morning workout. Still not thinking about the world at this point. I would then finish the workout, shower, and shave, and those 3 decades go to work in the Pentagon, Falls Church, Reston, Arlington and/or now Old Town. Having worked out, I would be ready for my morning coffee and the day’s work routine. At this point, I am still not worried about the world, I am more in tune to getting through todays agenda and getting home to the family, sighing as I pull into the driveway that I have once again cheated death by DC traffic.
I am sure you all can relate to the above; sprinkling in going to kids practice or games after school, to picking up dinner or groceries on the way home or even stopping for various medications at CVS which seems to be a vivid discussion subject of my “old” classmates at USNA. So, if you add these diversions in, you too probably have no time to think about the world and what good you may do in it today, tomorrow, or even in your lifetime.
While some of the deep thinkers in the company (and you know who you are) perhaps do reflect on their goals and responsibilities to their families, their clients and mankind. I believe that subconsciously most of us in Invictus are doing good, without even asking themselves the question. What we do know, is that we are all serving a higher calling by helping our nation protect our IT , Communications and cyber networks, track and trace transnational crime, providing critical in-depth analysis to provide decision-makers better intelligence, as well as accomplishing may other professional undertakings in order for our clients to make successful mission decisions. No, we may not ask the question when we get up in the morning, but we are indeed serving a noble cause and you should all be very proud of the legacy you are architecting.
That said, I do think we can and should do more. The world, the country, our school system, our media and even our neighborhoods have been enveloped by controversy and stress. So, what good may I do in it? Well, I know that we are all individuals carrying our own skillsets standing alongside the Spartan shield wall and we do it willingly and professionally. We come from all walks of life, all religions, and all political affiliations…yet we stand together as a family, united and devoted to make our clients, our family, our peers and our company proud of us. So, we are certainly shining examples of what is right, what is noble and what is just. The question remains for me, “Is that good enough or do we need to do more?
I ask that we do. We pay if forward and show our children and grandchildren how the world should be; one of mutual respect, mutual understanding and one filled with honor and commitment to God, our great country and each other. Show our competitors, our family and friends, our neighbors and everyone else just what we can do to make the country better for generations to come. You can individually be the catalyst for change. We, together, can be a juggernaut of the noble cause of not only bettering ourselves but bettering the world …by doing good.
I certainly believe in the good we can do …and today…I haven’t even had my cup of coffee yet.
Thanks Ben, great question!
God Bless and Remain Unconquered,
Jim