The meaningless dialogue we’re hearing in this campaign season can leave people in government feeling pretty low. There are some ways to try to get past the blues.
BY: BABAK ARMAJANI | OCTOBER 10, 2012
If you are one of those who is out to make our world a better place through your work in government, you are no stranger to discouragement. It goes with the territory for most conscientious public servants.
I was watching campaign news the other night and expressing disgust to my wife about the complete dearth of meaningful political dialogue. Those who have devoted our careers to public service expect better from the campaign process. To say that the current campaign season is discouraging would be an understatement.
In an effort to lift my spirits, my wife suggested I devote a column to the topic of discouragement. We’ll see if this therapy works.
The root word here, of course, is courage. My colleague Jeff Kober defines courage as “acting for a purpose in the face of fear.” Note that courage is not the same as bravery, the latter being associated with fearlessness. The worthiness of our purpose and our commitment to that purpose is the source of our courage. Keep this in mind, as it will become critical in dealing with discouragement.
So, how do we re-muster our courage when it has been sapped from us?
Continue reading: Politics and the Discouraged Public Servant
