“To handle yourself, use your head. To handle others, use your heart.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

Eleanor Roosevelt was the First Lady to Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the longest-serving President in United States history. She was known for her political savvy and acts of service during the Great Depression and World War II, which earned her admiration.

Her ideas about using your head and heart to govern your actions deserve consideration.

Becoming the best version of ourselves requires discipline, intention, endurance, and resilience. Virtues such as being on time, doing your job well and fully every time, honoring your commitments, saving money, avoiding risky behavior, and earning trust come from solid, consistent choices.

Choices made with your head favor virtue. Choices made with your heart often feature the pursuit of whims and attractions.

There is a country song by Chris Stapleton called “Nobody to Blame but Me.” One line that resonates is, “I know right where I went wrong.” Often, where we go wrong is when we pursue our heart’s passion without governing it with our head.

On the other hand, Roosevelt advises using your heart when dealing with others. This invitation encourages us to put others as a priority. It calls us to consider their thoughts, perspectives, and needs. It invites tenderness and compassion, opening us to forgiveness and understanding.

The world is a better place when each of us governs ourselves with our minds, leading to virtue, and deals with others with a heart full of care and regard.

-Howe Q. Wallace Jr