Smart Or Stupid!

As advocates, we are constantly faced with difficult choices. Sometimes those choices are straightforward, but more often they demand careful judgment, patience, and the willingness to separate fact from feeling. In those moments, we are left asking ourselves a simple but profound question: Are we being smart, or are we being stupid?

 

Being smart does not necessarily mean having all the answers. It means taking the time to do our research, verify the facts, listen to different perspectives, and make decisions based on evidence rather than assumptions. Smart advocacy is informed advocacy. It is built on preparation, credibility, and a commitment to the truth—even when that truth challenges our own beliefs.

 

Being stupid, on the other hand, is not about lacking intelligence. Rather, it is about allowing emotion to overpower reason. Anger, frustration, disappointment, and even enthusiasm can cloud our judgment. When we react impulsively instead of thoughtfully, we risk making decisions that weaken our message, damage our credibility, and ultimately undermine the very causes we seek to advance.

 

This is easier said than done. Advocacy often involves issues that are deeply personal. Whether we are fighting for accessibility, inclusion, justice, or equality, we invest our hearts as well as our minds. Passion fuels perseverance. Without it, many important battles would never have been fought.

But passion without reason can become counterproductive.

 

Former Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau wisely reminded us to put “Reason before passion.” Those three words remain as relevant today as they were when they were first spoken. They are not a call to suppress emotion but rather to ensure that emotion serves our purpose instead of controlling it.

 

As advocates, we should never lose our passion. It is the driving force behind meaningful change. At the same time, we must discipline that passion with careful thinking, sound evidence, and strategic action. Facts give our arguments strength. Reason gives them credibility. Passion gives them purpose.

 

Perhaps the question is not whether we are smart or stupid. Perhaps the real question is whether we are willing to pause before we act, think before we speak, and verify before we conclude.

The most effective advocates understand that lasting change is achieved not by the loudest voice or the strongest emotion, but by the clearest thinking and the most compelling evidence.

 

If we can remember to put reason before passion, we will not only become smarter advocates—we will become more effective champions for the people we serve.

 

I’d like to leave you with this for your consideration.

A solitary figure stands at the edge of the beach, toes sinking into the cool, damp sand as the ocean stretches endlessly before them. The waves rise and fall with growing intensity, each swell rolling toward the shore like an invitation—or a warning. Their surfboard rests at their side, untouched, while their gaze remains fixed on the restless sea. Their brow is slightly furrowed, lips pressed into a thoughtful line, and their eyes carry the unmistakable weight of indecision. It’s not fear exactly, but a quiet debate playing out behind their expression. The surf looks exhilarating, powerful, unpredictable. One more wave crashes, sending a mist of salt into the air. They inhale deeply, searching for clarity, caught between the thrill of answering the ocean’s call and the wisdom of staying safely on the shore.

Or, in a more poetic style:

They stand motionless where land surrenders to sea, watching the rising waves gather strength beneath a restless sky. The surfboard leans against one hip, ready, yet forgotten in the moment. Their face is a portrait of contemplation—eyes narrowed, jaw relaxed but uncertain—as though the ocean itself has asked a question only they can answer. Every crashing wave whispers go, while every surge of whitewater cautions wait. Suspended between courage and caution, they linger, wondering whether today is the day to paddle into the swell or simply remain an observer of the sea’s untamed beauty.

 

Image = A tired, stressed businesswoman sits at a desk in an office, covering her face with one hand while leaning over an open laptop, with papers, a pen, glasses, and a phone spread across the table.

 

To learn more about me as an award winning  sight loss coach and advocate visit http://www.donnajodhan.com